Four of a Kind
by ucsbdad
Summary: Have you ever wondered if there was anything more to Castle's trip to an Alternate Universe in The Time of Our Lives? Epilogue and perhaps more. But this part is COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own none of the Castles. Rating: M Time: In the very near future.

**Chapter One. Death Sentence.**

Rick Castle was sure that someone had used a fire ax to chop open his skull, scoop out his brains and fill his skull with napalm. Having done that, they had used the same ax on his stomach, pulling his entrails out, tying them in knots and beating on them with a baseball bat. _Kate and I didn't have that much to drink last night, did we? Sure it's our real honeymoon, but…Kate! Where is she? _

He managed to pry open one eye and saw only a blur. He blinked a few times and his vision cleared a little. There! Kate was only a few feet away from him on a couch.

He moved towards her, almost falling off the couch. "Kate! Honey! Wake up, please. Are you okay?" He took her hands and tried to pull her upright so he could hold her.

"What?" She mumbled. "What…"

He hugged her tightly. "Honey, what happened?"

"Mr. Castle?" Kate looked at him with an odd look on her face.

His eyes dropped to her left hand. There were no rings there. "You're not my wife. You're Captain Kate Beckett." He said, almost accusingly.

"I'm your wife, babe." Said a familiar voice.

Castle whirled around, almost emptying his stomach. Kate, his Kate, was on the other end of the couch. "You're my Kate? Detective Kate Beckett? Mrs. Kate Castle?" He could see her engagement and wedding rings on her left hand and she was dressed in the same clothes they had worn arriving on their private island in the Maldives.

She nodded and then held her head. "Yes." She smiled. "And you're my husband, Mr. Richard Castle." She looked like she was going to throw up. "What the hell happened to us? And who is….she?" Kate suddenly realized she was looking at another version of her. "Kelly Neiman?" She said, fearing the worst.

"Who's this Castle guy? You're talking to my muse, Detective Rick Rodgers, and he's not married. I've been following him for three years while writing my books." The speaker was yet another Kate Beckett.

They all began talking at once, which seemed to make everyone's heads pound and stomachs churn. In minutes they were all silent. Castle spoke. "I think I know what happened. I was somehow sent into an alternate universe a while ago. I met Captain Kate Beckett there." He pointed to the captain. "She's who my wife would have become if we'd never met."

"Alternate universes?" Said the third Beckett. "I like science fiction, but be serious."

"And how do you explain that there are three of us here?" His Kate asked.

"Hey! There's just one of me here. I don't know what or who you two are. Rodgers, what's going on here? I thought we were….together."

Castle groaned. "Together?"

"Okay, at first you hated having me shadow you and hated my book, but after three years…."

"Your book?" Rick and his Kate said together.

Writer Kate nodded. "Three books so far. But I did more than shadow you. I'm your partner. We solve crimes together. And we're…together. A couple."

_This couldn't possible get any worse. _Castle thought.

The universe promptly proved him wrong.

A portion of the wall opened up, three people walked in and sat behind a large desk. One was well known to Rick. "Meredith, what the hell is this? Damn it, I want…" Rick stopped suddenly, pain in his legs almost causing him to fall over. He staggered back to the couch and sat.

"The prisoner will be silent." Said one of the three. In addition to Meredith, there were two older men. The one who had spoken was large, white haired and rather bulky. Castle thought he looked angry. The other man was slender, and appeared older than the first. His hair was also white, but quite sparse. He looked rather bored.

Meredith spoke. "I am Chief Judge Meredith McDonald, Second Interworld Appellate Court. And I am not your Meredith, any more than those other two are your Kates." Meredith shuffled some papers in front of her. "This is your trial."

"My trial for what? I haven't done anything."

The skinny man shook his head. "You must have done something or you wouldn't be here, would you?"

"Circular reasoning?" Castle cried out. "I'm being railroaded."

"You four are being tried." Meredith replied.

"Four of us?" Detective Kate said.

"Correct."

"What did we do?"

The slender one looked over at Meredith. "Perhaps a bit of explanation is in order?"

"What for?" The other man said sourly. "They're guilty."

"Go ahead." Meredith said disinterestedly. "We have time."

Skinny smiled at her and turned back to Castle and the three Kates. "As you suspected, you are in an alternate universe. One in which none of you exist. Our Earth is the only one of what are theoretically an infinite number of Earths that know the secret of moving from one world to the next."

"I managed it." Castle said.

"And committed a crime to which he's now confessed." Said the bulky man. "Trial's over. Can we get on with this?" He pointedly looked at his watch.

Skinny smiled. "You moved between worlds, but you have no idea how you did so. Only we have the secret. And we must protect that secret."

"Why?" That was writer Kate,

"Many reasons. Some Earths are dangerous. On one Earth, the fascists won World War Two. They rule all of that Earth. If they could find a way to other worlds, they'd invade them. In another, World War Three was fought. They used not only nuclear weapons but biologicals. One was so dangerous, it killed off humanity on that Earth. The virus is still there. Should anyone cross to that world without proper precautions, another Earth could be devastated."

"Of course we're not totally altruistic." Meredith said.

Skinny nodded. "In the forty or so years since we learned to go between worlds, we've explored over twelve thousand, to one degree or another."

"There are about a hundred that are at about our level of technology, but none more advanced than us." That was Meredith.

"At least that we've found." Skinny added. "But, when one Earth makes a new medical advance, or designs a better computer, or whatever, we arrange to buy it clandestinely and ship it back here. And, voila, it's our new medical advance, or whatever. We have the best of a hundred worlds. They do all the work, we get the benefit. For free."

"And we get more." That was Bulky, speaking up. "There are three Earths where mankind never existed. Perfect copies of this Earth otherwise. We go to those Earths and if we want oil, we know exactly where to drill in what would have been Saudi Arabia. We know exactly where diamonds are in South Africa, or coal in Appalachia. And we don't have to worry about the environment. Our land, seas and skies remain pristine."

"So you're parasites?" Castle asked.

"We prefer to think of ourselves as being at the top of the food chain." Skinny said with a smile.

"And we intend to stay that way." Bulky added. No smile there.

"Which brings us to your trial." Meredith cut in.

"I was hoping you'd forgotten about that." Rick said under his breath.

Meredith went on. "You got ahold of, and activated an incredibly ancient device that also allows passage between worlds. It has two functions. One, allows what happened to you, Mr. Castle. You were temporarily in the mind of another Richard Castle. However, in using the device, you started some sort of chain reaction and began another function. This allows people to travel from one Earth to another. Captain Beckett and Miss Beckett, the writer, were somehow pulled into your world. There were other things that happened that do not concern us here."

"I'd like to know about them since we only have your word that they don't concern our trial." That was Kate Castle.

"Denied." Bulky said.

"Naturally, both the police captain and the writer headed for 12th Precinct. As you can imagine, when two Kate Becketts showed up…"Meredith smiled. "There was pandemonium."

"We cannot allow any technologically advanced society to have evidence that there are other, alternate Earths." Skinny said. "It could end our monopoly."

"I'm heart broken." Castle said.

"You should be." Meredith said coldly. "Because of your actions, I'm sentencing the four of you to death."

"With no trial?" Rick's Kate cried.

"You just had your trial." Bulky replied.

"We want to appeal." Captain Beckett said.

"There is no appeal from this court." Meredith said, gathering up some papers. "As is my duty, I'll escort the condemned to the execution chamber."

"Do you need help?" Bulky asked, entirely too eagerly for Castle's taste.

"Not necessary." Skinny said. "We need to meet with the Coordinating Council's subcommittee. We're late already. Judge McDonald can handle this."

All four prisoners shot to their feet and strode towards Meredith after the two men left. All four stopped, their legs on fire with pain.

"One of the things we picked up on another Earth is this." Meredith held up something like a TV remote. "I can control your nervous systems. Make you feel pain, or just make you go where I want you to." All four turned involuntarily to the doorway and started walking down a hallway.

"The execution chamber is very humane. You won't feel a thing." Meredith said conversationally.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Castle asked snidely.

"No. Not at all." Meredith said honestly.

Rick reached out and took his Kate's hand. "Sorry, babe."

"Not your fault."

Surprisingly, Captain Kate took his other hand. "Is it okay if I hold his hand, too?" She asked.

Kate smiled. "Sure. How about you, Writer Lady?"

The third Kate reached forward and put her hand over Rick's and his Kate's hand. "Now I wish I'd pushed harder to get Rick. So much wasted time."

"We're turning here into this alcove." Meredith said.


	2. Chapter 2

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: There are all sorts of Castles that I don't own. Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter two. Recalled to life. **

The four prisoners came to a stop at a blank wall with a very small door in it. Far too small for them to get through.

"Strip." Meredith commanded. "Put everything inside."

Castle managed to look over his shoulder. "If you think I'm going to give you the satisfaction of…"

"Shut up, you idiot. I'm trying to save your lives." Meredith whispered sharply. "No one has ever been executed for what you did. Only a few have been sent to prison. There are political ramifications here that I don't have the time to explain to you. But I was told that I either had to sentence you four to death, or die myself and have another judge send you to the execution chamber anyway."

"Why do we need to strip?" Rick's Kate asked. She was already stripping.

"I'm sending you to an Earth that is considerably behind our Earth's technology. Not that far behind, but enough for your clothes and belongings to stand out. The planet is too backwards to have monitors stationed there permanently, but someone passing through might see or hear about four strangers with the wrong technology and wrong clothing. Now strip, dammit!"

Rick began undressing. Out of the corner of his eye he could tell that both of the other Kates were doing the same. Once undressed he tossed his gear into the now open doorway. It was incinerated in a flash.

"I'm not giving up my rings." His Kate said.

"Nor my mom's ring." That was the captain.

"All right. All right. Just hurry, damn it." Meredith whispered.

Rick turned and immediately looked at a spot about a foot over his Kate's head.

She smiled. "It's okay. You've seen it all before. Just not with three different views.'

Rick lowered his eye line. Both of the other Kates looked like….Kate. Except for one thing. "At least I can tell you apart from the others."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Your scars. The other two don't have a bullet scar or the surgical scar. I could find you in the dark."

The other two Kates laughed. "I don't think our other self would much like you looking in the dark for one of us that way."

"Move it. We don't have much time." Meredith barked.

As they walked down the hallway, he reached out his left hand and took his Kate's hand. She slid her arm around his waist and snuggled up against him. Captain Kate on the other side, did the same. Writer Kate put her arms around him and his Kate as they walked. Rick was very aware of the female flesh touching him, especially the feeling of writer Kate's boob rubbing against his back. He was glad that he was too frightened to react as he normally would. _I hope like hell that Meredith isn't doing this to get some kind of a sick thrill before she executes us. Hell, she can get all the sick thrills she wants as long as we all live._

"This is the execution chamber." Meredith announced. Ahead of them was a large box, easily big enough to hold a dozen people. Rick wondered how often something that large was used.

Meredith lowered her voice. "When you get inside, you'll find four bracelets. They'll transfer you to another world just before the execution sequence begins. Once there, you'll find food, clothing, weapons, documents, money and everything you'll need. Once on, the bracelets won't come off. If you're captured by people from this world, you'll all be sent to another Earth. Understand?"

They all mumbled agreement.

"Get inside."

As promised, there were four bracelets inside. Castle quickly put his on. When he looked up, the others had theirs on as well. "I hope like hell she wasn't lying." Castle said as he machine started humming.

"Damn!" There was a flash of blue light and they were standing in a forest of scrub pine. Castle looked around him. "Everyone okay?"

The three naked women with him nodded.

"Where the hell are our clothes?" Writer Lady asked angrily.

"There, I think." That was his Kate. She pointed to four piles of clothing and other equipment. The clothing were cotton undergarments, rough jeans-like pants, a woolen shirt apiece, ankle boots and socks, and hip length jackets. Wrapped in a blanket roll were overcoats, plus canned food, wooden matches, cutlery, a plate, along with one frying pan for the four of them, one kettle and one coffee pot. There were other miscellaneous items there as well.

"There are weapons here." Captain Kate held up a revolver. There appeared to be two revolvers for each of them. "It says Wolfe Brothers, Dublin, .44 Caliber." She read, then examined the weapon. "It's a single action, break-top revolver. Push the lever here and the barrel drops and the cylinder comes up and ejects the empties. We appear to have a couple of hundred rounds of pistol ammo."

"And rifles. "Rick's Kate added, holding one up. "Single shot breechloader. The barrel is marked Harland and Collins, Derry, .45 caliber."

The three Kates looked at the ammo. "I'm betting this is black powder ammo." Captain Kate said. She turned to Writer Kate. "Can you shoot?"

She nodded. "When I was writing my Hannah Storm books, I learned to shoot. I've kept up pretty well. I hit what I aim at."

"Hannah Storm?" Rick asked.

"A CIA agent. I spent some time with a real CIA agent to get some background. That's where I learned to shoot."

"The agent wasn't Sophia Conrad, by any chance?"

She shook her head. "Never heard of her."

"We have knives as well." Rick's Kate said, hefting a good sized Bowie knife. Rick noticed that in addition to a knife, he had a cavalry saber.

"Can you use that?" Captain Kate asked.

"I hit what I stab at. My daughter and I took up fencing."

In an inside coat pocket, Rick found a piece of paper. It was official looking and had several seals attacked. "Look at this. According to this, I'm Richard Castle, a citizen of the Cherokee Federation. All the info, except for place of birth matches me. What about you three?"

His Kate found her ID and smiled. "Well, it seems I'm Katherine Castle, wife of Richard Castle, and I'm a Cherokee citizen as well."

Captain Kate smiled shyly. "And I'm Kaitlin Castle, also wife of Richard Castle, also Cherokee."

Writer Kate smiled broadly. "And I'm Kay Castle, wife of Richard Castle. Cherokee, too."

"This could get awkward." Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Apparently polygamy is in effect here. Where ever here is. I suggest we act married to Rick in public." Kate stressed the words "in public".

"Reasonable enough." Kaitlin said.

"I agree." Kay said.

Kay Castle reached into her overcoat pocket. "We have money. Gold coins."

Everyone else checked their overcoats. They all had a bag of gold coins. "Anyone recognize the coins? Or know how much they're worth?" Rick asked. No one knew anything about the coins.

Rick looked around. "It'll be dark soon. I suggest we make a fire, cook dinner and get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll try to figure out where we are."

After dinner, Kaitlin had a question for Kate. "How did you get shot?"

"The man who killed my mom tried to have me killed. He failed."

Kaitlin was shocked. "You know who killed my…our mom? Johanna Beckett? Who? Who the hell was it?" She demanded.

Kate and Rick explained the story of the three corrupt cops, the corrupt ADA Bracken and how he had hired Coonan to kill Johanna Beckett.

"Maybe you can go after them if you ever get back home?" Kate suggested.

"No. That's impossible." Kaitlin said, starting to tear up.

"Don't give up hope." Rick said. "You can do it. Maybe you can find that other Castle and…"

"I said it's impossible!" Kaitlin snapped at him. She sat by the fire and cried. Rick wanted to comfort her, but wasn't sure how to react to another Kate. Then Kate glared at him. "She needs comforting, Rick."

He put his arms around her and held Kaitlin close as she sobbed. Finally she spoke. "It's impossible. The Dick Coonan murder was the last one I handled as a detective. He was smuggling drugs and sold in the Westies territory. He killed his brother, who was a Westie enforcer, but they finally killed Dick Coonan. I could never prove anything. All the Westies had alibis. Of course."

Rick shook his head. "Of course. Without me to get Doctor Murray involved, she never connected her mom's murder to three other professional hits, and never connected Coonan to the other murders. She never went after him."

"What about Bracken?" Kate asked.

"My first big screw up as a Captain. He was blown to bits by a car bomb."

Kate nodded. "Same thing. Coonan was killed by the Westies. Bracken never had to make a move on Captain Kate Beckett. She never had any reason to consider Bracken as anything but a possible victim."

"What about Roy Montgomery?" Rick asked.

"I didn't really know him. He was in Internal Affairs by the time I made detective. He's retired. Was he really involved in mom's death?"

Kate and Rick exchanged glances. Kate spoke. "It's a different world. Maybe he was never involved."

"It makes no difference." Kaitlin said. "They're dead in my world. The important ones. I don't care about Montgomery."

"Hey." Called Kay. "There are tracks over here. It looks like a horse pulling a wagon has been by. Maybe more than one."

"We'll follow the trail tomorrow." Kate said. "It's dark. We should get some sleep."

Later, wrapped in their blankets, Kate whispered. "Are you sure you don't need to check and make sure you're with the right Beckett?"

Rick slid his hand under her blouse. "It feels like you, but I could be wrong. I'll check further."

And he did.


	3. Chapter 3

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Not mine. Rating: M, not now, but soon. Time: The very near future.

**Chapter three. On the Road. **

The four travelers rose at dawn, ate, packed their things and got ready to leave.

"Where are we going?" Kay asked as they stepped onto the trail.

"This looks a lot like the New Jersey pine barrens." Castle said. "The trail seems to go north and south, so if we go north, we ought to get to New York City."

"Assuming there is a New York City." Kate said. "This part of New Jersey is kind of empty, but we should be able to see or hear something. Aircraft, a freeway. Something."

"Or smell something." Added Kaitlin.

"North is as good a direction as any." Castle finally said. "Unless anyone has a better idea." No one did, so the four headed north along the dirt track.

"Can I ask you a question, Castle?" Kay said.

"Sure."

"When you said you had learned fencing with your daughter, did you mean Alexis?"

"Sure. Who else would I mean." Then it hit Castle. "I have…I mean the other me had more than one daughter? Cool."

Kay said nothing for a long time. "No. Rick Rodgers became a cop after his mother, Martha, was murdered when his daughter was kidnapped. He came home and found Martha with her skull bashed in and Alexis gone."

"Oh, crap." Castle was afraid he could see where this was going. "And..?"

"He paid the ransom, but they didn't release Alexis. Her remains were found in a shallow grave on a farm in upstate New York, more than a year later. You…He stopped writing because of that and became a cop. He felt that his lifestyle had contributed to the kidnapping. You know, rich playboy author, always in the news. He figured that's why they targeted him. It changed him."

"Did he ever find who did it?" Castle hated to hear this.

"Not exactly. Two men alleged to have been involved were found shot to death about a week after the kidnapping. They were hired muscle. Probably killed by the master mind. The man alleged to have been behind the kidnapping was shot to death in Mexico about five years ago. The US authorities didn't hear about it until well after he'd been cremated. Rick will probably never know for sure who really did it."

"How old was Alexis?" Kate had come over and taken Rick's hand.

"Seven. I think she was seven." Kay said. "I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault." Castle said, almost crying.

"That's one of the reasons that Rick…didn't want to get serious with me. He was afraid of having children again. He knew I wanted… It doesn't make any difference now. I'll probably never see him again. Again, I'm sorry for bringing that up."

"It's not your fault." Kate said. "An infinite number of Earths, and infinite number of ways things can go wrong." Castle could only nod in agreement.

They stopped for lunch when the sun was straight up above them. As they ate, Kate asked Kay a question. "You're a writer and you were shadowing Detective Rick Rodgers for a book?"

"I've written three books already and have…had another in the works."

"What was Rick's character's name?"

"Dick Harder." Kay replied.

"What?" Rick howled. "Dick Harder? What was he? A cop by day and a porn star by night?"

"He was a NYPD homicide cop. "Kay said primly. "The first book was _Harder and Higher_. Harder solved a murder committed on top of the World Trade Center. Then there was _Harder and Faster_. That was about a murder committed at a NASCAR race. The last one published was _Harder and Longer_. That one was about a murder committed at an ultra-marathon. The one I was working on was _Harder and Stronger._ That's where Dick finally got together with his screenwriter girlfriend, Liz Strong. That would be me, of course."

Kay and Kaitlin noticed that Kate was doubled over laughing. "Is something funny, Kate?" Kay asked.

Kate finally managed to stop laughing. "Rick's books featured an NYPD homicide detective named Nikki Heat. I always thought it was a stripper's name and not a cop's name. But Dick Harder has got to be even better. I love it. I hope I can read the books some day."

"If we ever get back, you can. But I want to read about Nikki Heat, too."

Rick stood up. "I think it's time to hit the road." He said grumpily.

"Whatever you say, Dick." Kate said, still giggling.

They hadn't been back on the road for more than ten minutes when they heard something coming up from behind them. They stood to the side of the road and waited. In five minutes a slow moving, brightly painted wagon, pulled by four large, powerful horses came by. The driver stopped.

"Why, howdy, friends. And how is your day today?" His voice boomed out in a friendly manner.

"So far so good." Rick replied. The man didn't look dangerous, but he realized they knew nothing about this world. He was a bulky man, but still mostly muscle. As he was seated, it was hard to tell his height. He had white hair and a salt and pepper mustache, but a fairly unlined face. When he moved, they saw he had a long pigtail down his back. All they could see of his clothes was a baggy white shirt and a red leather vest, worn open.

He doffed a broad brimmed hat with a feather in it in a sweeping gesture. "Allow me to introduce myself, friends, I am Phineas Finn, purveyor of the finest goods from Europe for the discerning customer, and at unbelievably low prices. And may I introduce my wives? This is Margaret." An attractive redhead stuck her head out of the wagon. Castle judged her to be in her early thirties. A slender blonde also stuck her head out from around Phineas. "This is Mary. And last, but not least is, Brigid." Another blonde quickly stuck her head out of the wagon and just as quickly pulled it back in. Castle thought she might be a teenager.

"I'm Rick Castle. These are my wives. Kate, Kaitlin and Kay."

Finn leaned forward to better see the women. "Jesus and Mary. They're the same. Triplets? How the devil do you keep them straight?"

"We keep him straight." Kate quickly answered.

Finn erupted in laughter. "And I'll bet these lovelies do just that." Finn stopped laughing and looked serious. "I note you are well armed. I hope you're not road agents, set upon robbing poor Phineas Finn."

Castle laughed and shook his head. "I can't claim to be an expert on robbery, but as I understand it, the robber points his weapon at the robbee. Not elsewhere as our weapons are pointed."

"I do believe you have the meat of the matter, sir. So you are not desperate robbers?"

"Not at all." Rick said, moving his hand away from his revolvers.

"In that case, I won't have Mr. Red Jacket kill you."

Castle felt something cold and hard on the back of his neck. "I assume he's behind us?"

"Indeed I am." Said a soft voice.

"So, it's my turn. Are you desperate robbers?"

"No, indeed. "Said the voice. "We aren't any kind of criminals. But one must be careful." The cold steel was gone from the back of his neck.

Castle turned around slowly. Mr. Red Jacket was indeed dressed in in a red jacket and buckskin pants. Castle saw that he was a Native American, a bit taller and heavier than he was. He had a revolver in one hand, another pair tucked into a sash around his waist. His other hand held a wicked sawed off shotgun.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Castle. And your wives." He walked back to the wagon.

"I assume, "Finn said conversationally," that you're a Cherokee citizen as you have multiple wives?"

"Yup." Castle said. Since he didn't know this world at all, he knew he had to be careful.

"Same with me and my wives. And Mr. Red Jacket, of course. Where are you going to, young man?"

Castle pointed up the trail. "That way."

Finn laughed. "That's it? Your four are headed that way?"

"We've been going that way since we all got married." Kate added. "Some day I suspect we'll get somewhere, but until then, we're going that way." The other two women nodded.

"You're headed for Mohawk Town, then?" Finn asked.

"As good a place as any." Castle said. _What the hell was Mohawk Town? _He wondered.

"I'm assuming you went past Clontarf, and not through it."

Castle nodded. "That we did."

"I certainly don't blame you. We haven't been there since the new Archbishop took over. The old one didn't worry much about Cherokees with multiple wives. But the new one…"

"Archbishops are like that, I suppose. Never met one myself." Castle said, hoping he was saying the right things.

"If you four would like to travel with us, I can let one of your ladies ride in the wagon. I can't let all of you ride on account of the horses already have too much to pull."

"Okay. We can trade off every hour or so." Kate said. "Kaitlin, you want to go first?"

"You should ride in the back." Finn said. "You can keep an eye on our back trail. I hope you four can use those weapons you're carrying. The Jersey barrens can be dangerous. Plenty of Jersey devils about."

"We can handle our weapons." Kaitlin said, hopping into the back of the wagon.

Kate moved over close to Rick. "Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" She whispered

Rick shrugged. "Clontarf was the site of a famous battle in Ireland about a thousand years ago. That would fit with an archbishop, I guess. Mohawks are Native Americans who lived in upstate New York. In our world the Jersey Devil was some kind of a mythical flying predator. A sort of a Bigfoot or Yeti."

"So you believe in Jersey Devils?" Kate asked, smiling.

"Finn sure does and he wants plenty of firepower on his side if he meets one. So, I'll believe."

Movement ahead caused them to look up. A dozen horsemen rode out and blocked the road ahead of them.

"Hey! Look at that! Just like out of a western movie." Castle said, excitedly.

The riders were suddenly cloaked in gun smoke as a dozen rifles shattered the silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Four of a Kind

By

UCSbdad

Disclaimer: Why, no. I don't own Castle. Kind of you to ask, though. Rating: M Time: In the very near future.

**Chapter four. The Jersey Devils. **

Castle stood there as the bullets whizzed past them. Kate shoved him, hard. "Get down!" She pulled her rifle off of her shoulder and fired into the cloud of gunsmoke. She dropped the rifle and drew a pistol, trying to hit the blurred shapes inside the cloud.

Castle raised his rifle just as a man rode out of the black powder cloud, firing his pistol at Kate. He fired and saw the man lurch in the saddle. The horse bolted straight at Rick and Kate. He saw that she was switching pistols. He drew, aimed and fired. The man pitched forward and sprawled onto the dirt track. He lay still.

One wounded horse staggered out of the gun smoke cloud. The rider tried to turn him, but the horse was in too much pain to respond. A half a dozen shots rang out and horse and rider fell. The rest of the outlaws rode back into the trees that lined the trail and were gone.

"Should we go after them?" Kate asked Finn.

"On foot?" He replied. "Those devils know every inch of this country. They found we were too much for them. They won't be back." Finn hopped down from the wagon. "Let's see who we got."

Finn's wives, all armed, followed him. Mr. Red Jacket stayed with the horses. After a second or two, Rick and his women followed. The first rider had a wound in his side and one in his forehead. "Good shooting, young fellow. You got this one."

Rick didn't feel the shooting had been at all good. He looked down at the man. Skinny, with a scraggly beard and too long hair, he was shoeless and wore a ragged pair of pants and shirt. Finn picked up his weapons. "There'll be no reward on this one. Armed with and old cap and ball pistol and a cut down muzzle loading rifle. Anyone who doesn't have first class cartridge revolvers and breech loading rifles is a no one. But, we can get a few coins for the weapons."

The walked to the second man. His horse had rolled over on him. If he hadn't been dead before, the horse would have killed him. "Oh, hell. I know him. Ed Clarke. Worked for the O'Neill brothers at their still now and again. There'll be no reward for him. But how the hell did he get those weapons? A Constabulary issue pistol and carbine." Finn held up the weapons. They were different from the weapons Rick and his party carried, but they seemed to be in good working order. "I doubt the Constabulary will give us a reward, but we'll have to turn them in. No one's going to buy weapons stolen from the Royal Irish Constabulary."

Finn's wives picked over the two bodies and the horse, but found nothing of value.

"The Big Pines Tavern isn't more than an hour away. I hadn't planned to stay there tonight, but with devils in the area, I think we shall." He turned to Rick. "Unless you have a better idea."

"The tavern's fine." Castle said, not really caring one way or another.

When they set off again, Kate maneuvered Castle to the side of the road, away from the wagon. "Are you okay, babe?"

He shook his head. "I've never killed anyone before."

"They would have killed us." Kate said quietly.

"I'm not saying I wish I hadn't shot him, or anything like that. I'd rather that a hundred of him die rather than you, or any of the others, die. But I never killed anyone before. I just wish they'd been elsewhere, or we were elsewhere, or something."

"You did the right thing, Castle. And I'm glad you feel bad about it, even if it was the right thing to do. I hope that makes sense."

He nodded. "Thanks."

After about an hour, Finn stopped the wagon. He took out a telescope and stood up.

"What do you see?" Kaitlin asked.

"Two riders just inside the tree line over there." Finn replied.

"More trouble?" Kate asked.

Finn shook his head. "They're wearing green sashes. The Dead Rabbit gang. Street toughs run out of Clontarf. They're short of horses and firearms. They won't try anything with us."

"We hope." Castle muttered under his breath.

"Big Pines Tavern is not more than an hour away." Finn looked up, checking where the sun was in the sky. "We'll get there well before dark. But we can't dawdle." He sat back down and the horses began pulling the wagon again.

In less than an hour, they came out of the pine trees and saw a stockaded building sitting on a hill, with plenty of open space all around. Finn took a well worn path to the building. "Ho!" He cried. "Dammit, Donovan, you have trade. Open the damned gate or we'll take our trade elsewhere."

The gates opened and a red haired, blue eyed young man, rifle over his shoulder, stuck his head out. "And who else would you give your custom to, I'm asking?"

"I'll be giving it to you, then. Do you have room?"

"One rider came in a bit ahead of you, t'is all."

"We need two rooms, then. One for me and the ladies and one for my friend, Mr. Castle and his wives. Mr. Red Jacket prefers to sleep outdoors, pagan heathen that he is."

"I sleep outdoors to avoid the snoring." Mr. Red Jacket said politely.

"I do not snore." Finn growled.

"It must be your wives then that make that ungodly noise. And I'll sleep in the wagon."

Finn unhitched his team and rubbed the horses down. When they were done, all headed inside where they were greeted by a small, nearly bald, wizened old man.

"Thomas Donovan!" Finn said. "Jesus and Mary! Are you still above ground? And do you have more little ones about? I don't remember the wee one in the corner."

The old man smiled. "Another grandson. Timothy by name. From my son Liam and his Becky. You must have seen Becky all swollen the last time you were here?"

"As if anyone could keep track of them." Finn said with a laugh.

"You'll be needing two rooms?"

Finn nodded. "I'll be paying for my friend, Mr. Castle and his wives this time. He shot a damned devil out of the saddle as neat as you please. T'is the least I can do."

Castle and Kate tried to argue, but to no avail. Finn insisted and Thomas Donovan sided with Finn. "Your room is at the top of the stairs, to the right, Mr. Castle. Mary Claire will show you the way. Dinner will be in about two hours."

A redheaded teenaged girl appeared and led them upstairs. She reminded Castle of Alexis. He wondered if he'd ever see her again. The girl opened the door and showed them in. "There ye'll be. And if ye be needin' anything, ye can just holler." She turned and disappeared.

"Um, the bed." Kay said.

"Yeah, the bed." Kaitlin said.

There was one large bed in the room. Big enough for all four of them, and obviously intended for the four of them.

"I could ask for another room for Kate and me." Castle suggested.

"And have everyone wondering why you're not sleeping with all of your wives?" Kate said,

Castle nodded. "Okay. I'll sleep on the floor. The three of you can have the bed."

"Like hell." Kate snapped. "I'm sleeping with you, no matter what."

"I can sleep on the floor." Kay said. "You two should sleep together."

"I have a better idea." Kaitlin said." Rick can sleep in the right hand side of the bed, with Kate next to him. Then Kay and I on the other side. That way we won't have to worry about anyone trying to see which one is the real Mrs. Castle using braille at night."

"I'm not sure…" Rick began.

"I am." Kate said. "We all sleep in the bed tonight." She turned to Castle. "I'm tired, babe."

Castle shrugged. This was going to be more difficult than he had imagined.

Later, they went down to dinner which was some sort of a stew taken from a pot over the fireplace Apparently refrigeration and electricity were among the things yet to be invented. They ate the stew by candle light and the light of the last rays of the sun.

Apparently kerosene was expensive as were candles. Once it was night, everyone headed for bed, except for some young men who would keep watch.

Castle changed into a night shirt and then turned his back so the women could change as well. He lay down on his side of the bed and was joined by one of his wives. "Very funny." He told her.

Kate, on the far side of the bed laughed. "I told you."

Kaitlin shook her head. "How did you know?"

"You aren't Kate." He said as the two women changed places.

"I told you he'd know the difference." Kate said.

As Rick and Kate snuggled, the heard a low moan from across the hall, followed by a somewhat louder moan. "Oh, Finn! Yes!" A woman cried.

"That's Brigid, the blonde teenager." Kate whispered.

The noise from Brigid grew louder as her moans turned to screams and finally one long, drawn out wail followed by a screamed, "Fiiiiiiiiin!"

Kate giggled. "Castle!" She stage whispered.

"Oh! There! Yes!" Kay cried.

"Oh! Oh! OH!" Cried Kaitlin.

"Like that?" Castle asked, getting into the act.

"OH! RICK!" Kate yelled.

The bedroom was filled with moans, screams and the sound of the four slamming their arms against the mattress. Finally, the three women let out one last, high pitched scream and lay quietly. Rick stopped Kate's giggling by kissing her. The other two women buried their faces in the pillows.


	5. Chapter 5

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: No amount of Castle's are mine. Rating: M. Time: The very near future.

**Chapter five. It's a wonderful town. **

When the Castles came down for breakfast the next morning, they were greeted by a whole lot of grins and winks. Old Mr. Donovan seemed especially pleased to see them.

"You are a man among men, Mr. Castle. I heard that you shot a devil out of his saddle at a hundred yards with your pistol." Donovan guffawed. "Of course, I hear you excel at close range work, as well."

The women behind him all blushed and Castle looked away. "Who told you about that? The gunfight, I mean."

"Why Mr. Red Jacket himself. He was up before the break of dawn, and was kind enough to be helping my Molly chop some wood for the fire. Molly's little one, Michael, was there as well, cutting up kindling. Naturally, they was curious about newcomers. Mr. Red Jacket was kind enough to tell them all about you." Donovan looked over at the three Castle wives. "And apparently your ladies are more than just decorative, although mighty decorative they be. Mr. Red Jacket said they stood and fought like the Amazons of old. You're a lucky man. Mr. Castle. I hope you realize that."

Castle turned and winked at Kate, who was standing between Kaitlin and Kay. All three women returned the wink. "I do know how lucky I am."

Soon after they left the tavern, the landscape started to change. The woods that had closely bordered the trail started to thin out and more open country was seen. Soon they began to see small farmsteads along the trail with farmers out working in their fields.

At one farm a young boy ran out and stopped the little group. "Mr. Finn!" He called. "It's me, Isaac Baum. My father sent me. Would you stop a bit? My mam needs some sewing needles, and if you have a bit of lace, my sister Sarah is making a new dress and would like some."

"And what about you, lad? Can Phineas Finn do nothing for you?"

The boy shook his head. "I have no coin, sir."

Suddenly Brigid jumped down from the wagon and walked to young Isaac. "And what's that stuck in your ear, Isaac?" She asked.

Isaac's hand shot to his ear. "Nothing, ma'am. There's nothing at all."

Brigid reached for his ear. "Do you call this nothing?" She pulled a small candy from his ear along with a small coin. "Look at that! A sweet and a copper. Nothing in your ear, indeed." Brigid scoffed. Isaac grinned hugely at the sight of the candy and the coin. "Now join me on the wagon and we'll go see your ma and pa." Brigid said.

They stayed at the Baum farm for no more than an hour, not just selling but gossiping and trading news. Most of it made no sense to Castle. People and places he had never heard of were mentioned, and luckily no one asked him how things were in the far Cherokee lands.

Back on the road again, they began to see more traffic. Several men bent under the weight of huge packs, a young man pulling a small cart, then a line of three wagons pulled to the side of the road. A wheel had broken on one wagon and the teamsters were trying to lift it up with a stout log to put a new wheel on.

"Need a bit of help, neighbor?" Finn asked. Just as he asked, the new wheel slipped on over the axle.

A man grinned at him. "Looks like you asked at just the right time. When all the work was done. But thanks for the offer, friend."

A mile later they passed a dozen men with a long string of packhorses stopped at a small stream to water their animals. The men stared at the small group and kept their hands near their weapons.

"That was a tough looking crew back there. Who were they?" Castle asked once they were beyond earshot.

"Over the mountain men. From over the Appalachians. Some have been as far as the Big Muddy and beyond, or so they say. Of course, they tell tall tales. Vast plains covered with herds of animals, a salty inland sea, mountains so high the snow never melts, steaming water that shoots right out of the ground. Cities built into the sides of canyons. Such as that. Entertaining, but hardly anything a reasonable man would accept as the truth."

Castle just smiled.

About an hour before nightfall they came to some sort of a camp. A dozen or more wagons, plus many horses and even more people were gathered around a small spring. Finn stood up in the wagon and looked things over. "We could go a bit further before dark, but this many people? There must be some customers for me here. We'll stop if you have no objections, Mr. Castle?"

Castle checked with Kate with a glance. She nodded slightly. "No objections at all, Mr. Finn."

There was a cleared area where a large fire had been lit. Women approached Finn's wagon to ask for food for a common meal. The Castles were only able to provide some canned food, but Finn provide some chickens and spices. The spices were especially appreciated. That was another way this world was different from their Earth. Spices that were available in any supermarket back home were rare luxuries here.

Once dinner was done, the fire was still providing light. Someone brought out a fiddle and began to play. Another fiddle appeared, then a banjo, followed by a harmonica and a flute. Couples began to dance and Rick took Kate's hand and began to dance. After two songs, Kate whispered in his ear. "You should dance with your other wives as well. We don't want to look conspicuous."

"I only have one wife and I don't mind looking conspicuous." He whispered back.

"As far as these people are concerned you have three wives and if we want to fit in, you should act like it." Kate stepped away from him and motioned for Kay to take her place.

Rick shrugged. Dancing with Kay was odd. She looked exactly like Kate, but he knew she was different. But she was a good dancer and kept up a stream of small talk. Again, at the end of a song, she stepped back and motioned for Kaitlin to take her place.

When Kaitlin came to him, she immediately put both of her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him. He could feel her breasts pushing against his chest and her lips rested on his neck. As they danced, she rubbed her boobs against his body and her lips began nuzzling him. He couldn't help but begin to be aroused. He was sure she was getting hot as well.

When the song was over, he stepped away from her. A look of deep sadness came over Kaitlin's face. He took her hand and led her to Finn's wagon. As soon as they got there, she dropped his hand and ran into the darkness. Castle glanced at Kate and then followed her.

He found Kaitlin crying softly against a tree.

"What's wrong, Kaitlin?"

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Castle. I'm so sorry."

Rick gently put his hand on her shoulder. "Can you tell me what's wrong? Maybe I can help."

She shook her head. "You're married to your Kate. Kate the writer had a relationship with Detective Rodgers. I met a Rick Castle who had an effect on me….That I can't even describe. And when he was shot, he told me he loved me. And now he's gone. Or rather, I'm gone, off on another Earth. I see you and Kate and I know I could have had something wonderful with Richard Castle that I never thought I'd have. I saw you just now and I wanted you so badly, I acted like a complete slut. And right in front of your wife."

"Kaitlin, I know something about loving someone you think you can't have. But it worked out for Kate and me, maybe it'll work out for you and your Rick."

"And maybe it won't." Kaitlin stood up straighter. "We should get back. Kate will think I'm out here trying to seduce you."

Before Rick could assure her that Kate wouldn't think that, Kaitlin was gone.

The fire was burning down and everyone was going to sleep. Rick snugged down next to Kate with Kaye next, then Kaitlin a bit away.

When they got up the next morning, Kaitlin wouldn't look at any of them. Kate left Kay and Rick to make breakfast and led Kaitlin away from the little camp. When they came back, Kaitlin looked much happier.

"What did you tell her?" Rick asked.

"Just some girl talk." Kate said evasively.

Rick wisely left well enough alone.

By noon, they were on the New Jersey shore, looking across at an island.

"There she is." Finn said. "Mohawk Town. Not a patch on Clontarf, of course, but the town is growing. Why one day, it'll take up all of Manna Hata Island. Mark my words."

Mr. Red Jacket laughed. "And one day there'll be building, five, even six stories tall, I bet."

"And you talk about the over the mountain men telling whoppers." Brigid said, laughing.

The four Castles looked across at what in their world had been the most populous city in the US. All it was here was a scattering of wood buildings interspersed with some of brick or stone.

"How many people live here?" Rick asked.

"Twenty, twenty five thousand maybe. You won't believe what you'll see there."

"I'm sure I won't." Castle said.

He had no idea how right he was.


	6. Chapter 6

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Not me. Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter six. Four. **

Castle stared across the Hudson River, or whatever it was called in this world. "So how do we get across?"

"We'll take the ferry, of course." He pointed to a boat just leaving the Jersey Shore and headed for Manhattan, or Manna Hata, as it was called here.

"I wonder if they could build a bridge." He said under his breath.

Mr. Red Jacket laughed. "Sure. And then how would ships sail up the Great Mohegan River?" Mr. Red Jacket laughed. "I know how. We'll bring some of those hot water fountains from across the Big Muddy and shoot the ships over."

The Castles said nothing and followed Finn's wagon towards the ferry terminal.

Rick found a few silver coins in his money bag to pay the ferry and then stood on the bow to watch Mohawk Town as it grew nearer and nearer. He was not impressed. He was less impressed when the ferry landed them. The streets were seas of mud with rickety looking wooden buildings jammed along them. As they got off the ferry, they were besieged by touts offering to carry their luggage, lead them to a hotel, provide food, drink or sex, or any other service possible.

Suddenly Castle heard Mr. Red Jacket roar. "This is Phineas Finn, Mr. Red Jacket, the wives of Finn, our good friend Mr. Castle, the deadly shootist, and his wives. We have no need of you, so be off with you." The mob parted and went to bother other ferry passengers.

"If you have the coin, I'd recommend you stay at the Riverside Inn, Richard." Finn said. "It's the best in all of Mohawk Town and quite nice."

Castle pulled out his money bag and opened it up. He poured some gold coins out onto his palm. "Enough?"

Finn's eyes widened. "Jesus, Mary and all the saints! You have a whole sack of gold coins? By God! No wonder you and yours shoot so well. Where did you…?" Finn stopped, suddenly realizing that Castle might not want to disclose the source of his wealth.

Castle grinned. "You'd be surprised at what's across the Big Muddy."

Finn shook his head. "You can certainly stay anyplace you please, Richard. But I'd recommend you put your cash in the Mohican Bank. It's been around as long at the town has been and will be here for a long time. It's a sight better than carrying that amount around with you."

Castle looked at Kate who nodded slightly.

"Where's this bank?" He asked.

Finn, Mr. Red Jacket and Finn's wives led the Castles to a large, gray stone building with the look more of a fortress than a bank. Castle noticed that his companions kept their hands near their weapons and tried to look in every direction at once. _I think that it's no safer to carry lots of money around here than it would be in some parts of New York City. _Castle thought. He also noticed that Kate and Kaitlin kept their hands near their weapons and their heads on a swivel. Only Kay, the writer, seemed unconcerned.

At the bank, Castle felt like he was Bill Gates, or some other billionaire, dropping off a few million in pocket change. The bank owner came out to personally handle the deposit. All of the employees who could, edged over to see the transaction. If everyone was amazed at Castle's fortune, they were shocked to find that each of the Castle wives was equally wealthy.

"Your wives also have that much money, Mr. Castle?" Asked Margaret, the oldest of Finn's wives.

"They earned it as much as I did."

"Ah, Mr. Castle." Finn said ruefully. "You may be causing me a bit of trouble here."

"May I inquire how you came to have such a fortune, Mr. Castle?" Asked the bank owner.

"Go across the Big Muddy and you'll find many things to make a man rich." Castle waited just a second to add, "And just as many to make a man dead. Perhaps more."

The man nodded. "I think I'll stay here in Mohawk Town."

Once done at the bank, they headed back to the Riverside Inn with a smaller bag of mostly silver coins and only a few gold coins. The Castle's got a nice suite, with, they were glad to see, two large beds. "Glad to see that." Castle said.

"We won't be able to entertain the neighbors at night, though. "Kay said with a grin.

"This is the big city, people here can entertain themselves." Castle shot back.

"What now?" Kate asked.

"I know exactly what we need. A library. We have to find out about this world before we make a mistake that gets us killed or something. We'll ask at the desk."

"We'll need our overcoats." Kaitlin said, pointing to the window. "It's raining."

As it turned out they didn't have to go that far, according to the helpful concierge at the end of the hallway.

"A library? Certainly Mr. Castle. The best library in all of the Iroquois Confederacy is at St. Olaf's College. It's right down the road. You can easily see the college and the library from the lobby if you look north."

Castle tossed the man a silver coin and got a huge smile in return. "I over tipped." He muttered as the four headed for the stairs.

The library at St. Olaf's was a red brick building, covered in ivy that rose a majestic three stories above the surrounding city. The Castles found a friendly librarian who provided them with library cards and directed them to the history section. Each of them grabbed a history book and sat down, talking among themselves as they read.

In an hour, Castle recapped what they knew. "The Black Plague on our Earth in the fourteenth century was bad enough, wiping out thirty to sixty percent of Europe's population in addition to deaths in the Middle East and Asia. Maybe a hundred million people died in our world. Here, the plague was far more virulent and longer lasting. Maybe ninety percent of the population of Europe died, and about the same in the Middle East and Asia. The plague spread along trade routes into Africa and to Asia killing more millions. It wasn't just the plague that killed all those people, but the total collapse of society that went with the plague. Bandit gangs were everywhere. They could steal food, but couldn't raise it. Things just went into a death spiral. "

Kate nodded and spoke. "But two groups of Europeans survived in relatively much larger numbers, the Irish and the Norwegians. When the plague finally abated, the Irish eventually crossed the Irish Sea and started to repopulate Wales, Scotland and England. At first they just looted anything that they could. The looters brought back treasures from France, Spain, Italy, Africa, and on to the Middle East. But then, landless Irish peasants figured out they could just cross a short stretch of sea and grab any uninhabited farm they saw. Repopulating Europe kept the Irish busy for centuries."

"The Norwegians were hit a lot harder than the Irish for some reason, but still a lot survived. But they had somewhere to flee too. First to Iceland, then to Greenland, which still had a population descended from Vikings. And they had knowledge of America, known in our world then as Vinland, and still known here and now as Vinland."

Kaitlin took up the story. "The Norwegians more or less panicked and headed out to sea by the thousands, maybe the tens of thousands. Actually, it was the perfect quarantine system. If you were on a ship coming to Vinland, if you had the plague on your ship, you were all dead before the ship could possible get here. Only the healthy made it here. Eventually, they started moving south and ran into the Mohicans, the easternmost member of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Mohawks recognized that these strangers had useful skills, metalworking, ship building and so on that would be useful. Eventually, new Norwegians stopped coming and only some limited trade existed between Vinland and Norway. The result is a hybrid Norse-Mohican society. Most of the inhabitants of Mohawk Town are Norwegians or Irish or other Europeans. The Mohawks prefer to live outside of the big city. "

Kay spoke. "The Irish eventually learned of the existence of another continent, and in 1798 sent a fleet to explore the new world. It had some possibilities and, after about a century, a colony was started somewhere near where Baltimore is in our world. They called the new colony Clontarf, after a battle fought in 1014 between the Irish and the Vikings. The name was probably intended to piss of the local Viking descendants. The Irish are used to being the top dog and don't like being ignored. Now there are only a couple of hundred thousand Irishmen in Clontarf, which is also the name of the main town. The Church is pretty powerful and a lot of Irishmen headed for the Iroquois Confederacy to get away from it, which makes the government of Clontarf unhappy."

It was again Castle's turn. "Native Americans are much more powerful than when Europeans arrived in our America. The Cherokees are as powerful as the Iroquois or the Clontarf…Clontarfians? Whatever."

"But some people cross the Appalachians to see what's there."

"Just like we did." Kate said, smiling.

"Just like we did." He smiled back.

When the Castles left the library, he decided that Mohawk Town wasn't quite as bad as he had thought. The square in front of the college was paved with cobblestones. Some of the more upscale neighborhoods had built wooden sidewalks. "Shall we take a walk and be tourists, ladies?"

They walked across the square and then down a wooden sidewalk. Suddenly, a woman flew out of a doorway, landing on her face in the muddy street. She was followed by a large, angry man.

"I'll teach you to whore around." He screamed. He pulled her upright and hit her in the stomach. She doubled over and screamed.

Recognizing both people, Castle drew his pistol and thumbed back the hammer. "Don't move, mister."


	7. Chapter 7

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own no Castle at all. Rating: M. Time: The very near future.

**Chapter Seven. The Duelists.**

The man turned and stared at Castle and at the gun in his hand. "This has nothing to do with you, mister. This is between me and my woman."

Castle shook his head. "Demming, this is between you and me. And if you touch her again, I'll kill you."

Tom Demming stood up. "You're mighty bold holding a pistol on me." He tapped the knife at his belt. "Care to make it even?"

"Pistols can make a man bold. That's what they're for."

"That's enough, mister." Said another voice. "Put your weapon down. I won't be telling you again."

Castle looked up to see four Native Americans, dressed in buckskin pants and green coats, holding rifles on him. He slowly lowered his pistol.

One of the green coats approached him. "I'm Sergeant Eric Thorvald, Iroquois Constabulary. We don't allow folks to carry firearms in town. I'm surprised no one told you before this."

In spite of the Norse name, Castle couldn't see anything Norwegian about the sergeant. "No one told us."

"Then I suggest you hand over your weapons and be on your way. I'll give you a receipt and you can pick them up when you leave." Sergeant Thorvald held out his hand.

"I'll gladly hand over my pistols, but I still have business with this man." He handed his pistols over to the sergeant. The three Castle women did the same.

Demming took a step towards Castle, drawing his knife. "Now we'll settle this."

Thorvald turned, holding one of Castle's pistols on Demming. "Demming, we do not allow brawling in this town. If you want to fight this man, go to the dueling grounds and do it legal."

Demming nodded. "Suits me right down to the ground. If pretty boy here has the sand for it."

"I've got the sand all right." Castle said.

"You got a knife, I see. Then let's go to it."

"Demming," Thorvald said," Mr. Castle here is the challenged party. He has the choice of weapons."

Castle nodded. "In that case, I pick sabers." He tapped the saber at his side.

Demming turned to the crowd that had gathered. "Who has a saber that I can spit this son of a bitch like a pig with?"

A drunk young man in a grey uniform stumbled out of the crowd and handed Demming a saber. "My pleasure, Tom."

As they headed for the dueling ground a large excited crowd was gathering. "It looks like duels are a crowd favorite around here."

"Sure an' they are, sor." Said a voice at his elbow.

Castle turned to see someone who just might have been Kevin Ryan's older brother. "And you are?"

"Michael Ryan, sor. An' if ye'll be forgivin' me, it seems to me that ye'll be needin' a second."

"Duels do have seconds, I guess."

Ryan nodded. "Demming's a bully an' a card cheat. T'wouldn't be a bad thing to see a foot of steel in his gizzard."

"Do you have a brother, Mr. Ryan?"

"Sure an' Oi do. Me older brother Patrick, right over there wi' me sisters."

Castle looked and saw that there was no Kevin Ryan in this world. "Okay, Mr. Ryan. I guess you're my second, if you want the job that badly." Castle could see that they were approaching a large, smoothly paved area surrounded by a low wooden fence. "The local dueling ground?"

Ryan nodded. "Nothin' but the best for Mohawk Town. Beats the ones in Clontarf seven ways from Sunday. Heve ye fought in Clontarf, sor?"

"I'm a Cherokee. Things are a bit less formal there."

Castle noticed that what appeared to be bookies were starting to make an appearance, yelling out odds. From the sound of it, Demming was a heavy favorite.

Suddenly Ryan yelled at a man. "Oh, for shame, Sven Forkbeard! Four to one odds against me principal? Make it five to one and Oi'll be bettin' twenty crowns."

The large, grey bearded man thought for a second, then nodded. "Five to one at twenty crowns."

"You're betting on me?"

Ryan looked shocked. "Ye're not thinkin' Oi'd bet again ye?"

Before Castle could reply he was interrupted by a beautiful young woman, the same one that Demming had been threatening. "Please, sir. Don't risk your life over me."

Castle could see tears starting in her beautiful hazel eyes. Her familiar face was framed by long, straight, reddish brown hair. "You're name's Kate, isn't it?"

She looked at him oddly. "Do you know me?"

"In a manner of speaking, Kate Beckett."

She shook her head. "Kathleen Beckett, sir. And please don't fight over me. I'm not worth it. And Tom's got a terrible temper, especially when he's been drinking. I don't want to see you hurt or killed, sir."

"I won't be." Castle said with more enthusiasm than he felt. "Has he been drinking a lot?"

"All day, sir. He's terrible mean when he's in liquor."

"Kathleen, you damned whore!" Demming roared. "Get your skinny ass over here right now! I'm going to kill this bastard and make those three whores of his mine."

"Please." Kathleen whispered, then ran off.

Kate edged up next to Rick. "You sure do know how to pick 'em."

"She's you. I couldn't let her get beat up."

"I know. I just wish this could've gone differently." She looked over at Demming and nodded. "Can you take him?"

Castle looked over at Demming. "He's been drinking, or so Kathleen Beckett says. And he's had a couple of big gulps from a jug which I'd guess is some kind of alcohol. I'm surprised no one has noticed that I have three wives that look just like Kathleen, though."

"We've pulled our hats down and looked at the ground a lot. And we're not wearing a low cut dress with a slit up one side."

"I hadn't noticed." Castle lied smoothly, not fooling Kate a bit. "Besides, I already know exactly what she looks like."

Ryan pushed his way to Castle. "All right, sor. The sawbones is here, so it'll be a legal fight. An' also the dueling master to make sure the rules are followed."

"Rules? In a fight to a death?"

"Of course, sor." Ryan sounded surprised. "First ye'll both be asked if you'll no walk away wi' no hard feelin's. Then ye'll be told that ye can only use yer saber an' yer fist an' boots. Lastly, at first blood, they'll stop an' ask if honor is satisfied. That's aboot it, sor."

When the dueling master asked if the two principals could settle their differences, Demming replied with a string of obscenities. Castle just shook his head. The dueling master explained the rather limited rules. He then nodded. "Let the duel begin."

With that, Demming ran at Castle, holding his saber low, like he would a knife and howling. Castle moved towards him and as Demming approached, at the last second, Castle pivoted to one side, slashing at Demming as he went by, catching him on his non-sword arm.

"First blood, by Jayzus!" Cried Ryan. "My man drew first blood. That's ten crowns ye owe me, Old Bear." A Native American tossed a coin to Ryan.

"Double or nothing, Bear, me friend?" Ryan called. The other man shook his head.

An excited murmur was running through the crowd. It was occurring to many of them that this might not be the walkover they had expected.

The dueling master asked if honor was now satisfied, to which Demming screamed that it was not. He rushed at Rick, raising his saber over his head and swinging it down as he got to Rick. Again, Rick dodged the blow, letting Demming's blade slam into the concrete. Demming momentarily lost his balance and Rick stabbed at his leg. Demming howled in pain. Rick could see that he had apparently missed any major blood vessels, but Demming was hurt.

"Will you stand and fight, you damned whoreson?" He growled.

"Why?" Rick asked reasonably. "I'm winning. All I have to do is keep you moving and you'll either bleed out or your leg will collapse and leave you helpless."

"Ye can crawl out o' the dueling ground, Demming." Ryan yelled. "Crawl away like the whipped cur ye are."

"Sure," Castle said. "Just leave. And never see Kate Beckett again. How about it."

But Demming limped toward Castle. "I'll send you to hell even if I have to go myself."

It was over quickly. Castle batted Demming's blade aside and buried his own blade in his gut. He twisted the blade and pulled it out. Demming collapsed.

"Enough." Cried the doctor. "He's received a fatal wound, I believe." The doctor walked over and knelt beside Demming. He soon stood up. "He's as good as dead. You should finish him off, the coup de grace, the blow of grace, Mr. Castle."

"He can't be saved?"

The doctor looked at Castle oddly. "Young man, if a shipload of the finest surgeons from the High King's Medical College in Dublin arrived, they could not save him. You should put him out of his misery."

Demming was cursing through the whole conversation.

Castle looked over at Kathleen Beckett. "Kathleen, your wishes?"

Kathleen looked at Rick and then at Demming. Then she began unbuttoning her dress. She opened it to show a mass of bruises, cuts and scrapes running from her knees to just below her breasts. She pulled the dress off and turned to show Castle her back. From her neck down to the backs of her thighs there was nothing but one huge bruise ranging from angry red to a sickly yellow and many colors between.

"My wishes, Mr. Castle?" She strode over to where Demming lay groaning and stood over him with a foot on either side of his head, then squatted, and peed all over his face. "That's my wish. That he die slowly and rot in hell for eternity."

Castle nodded. "I think Mr. Demming will have to make his way to hell without any further help from me." He sheathed his saber and walked back to the women.

At the edge of the crowd, a well dressed, slender young redhead stood on her tiptoes and strained to see over the men in front of her. Suddenly she heard her name called.

"Alexis! What are you doing?"

"I'm just curious, Grandmama." The girl said.

The older woman took her hand. "This barbarism is no sight for a gentlewoman. Come away at once."

Alexis looked back once, but then followed the older woman.

Castle saw that Demming had three men around him. One was rifling his pockets, one was pouring something, probably alcohol, into Demming' mouth and the third was looking at Castle with a speculative air.

Kathleen walked up to him. "I suppose I'm your whore now, Mr. Castle."

The look of defeat and misery in her eyes was enough to break Castle's heart.


	8. Chapter 8

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: The number of Castles I own is exactly zero. Rating: M Time: In the very near future.

**Chapter Eight. On the Town. **

Castle noticed that Kathleen Beckett had put her dress back on, but hadn't buttoned it up. Everything was on display.

"Kathleen, do up your dress, okay?" He said softly.

She looked down and nodded. She blushed as she did up her buttons. "Really, sir. I'm not that kind of person. What I did with Tom, that is. Please don't be angry with me. All I want is to be good to you. Please, sir."

"Kathleen, I need to show you something." Castle turned to his three wives. Kate took off her hat, followed by Kaitlin and Kay. They all looked straight at Kathleen.

Kathleen crossed herself. "Jesus, Mary and all the saints. They're…me!" She turned to Castle. "Are you some great wizard from beyond the Great Mountains in the far west? I've heard stories….They say there are wonders beyond anything." She stopped. "Why did you pick me, sir?" Her voice quavered as she spoke.

Castle smiled at her as reassuringly as he could. "To begin with you should call me Rick and not sir. And I'm not a wizard. I'm just an ordinary man. And these are your sisters and my wives. Until I saw you just now, I thought they were triplets. But you must be identical quadruplets. You're part of my family, Kathleen Beckett."

Kathleen walked up to the three women and examined them closely. "I've seen twins. People who look exactly alike. I've heard of three people who look alike, but four? I've never heard of that."

"But there's the proof right in front of you." Kate said.

Castle breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought the story up on the fly and hoped there weren't any obvious holes in it. Apparently there weren't. So far.

"But why would Ma not tell anyone?" Kathleen asked.

"I don't know." Kate replied. "Can you ask her?"

Kathleen shook her head. "She's dead. Killed by a runaway team when I was nineteen. Da' took to the bottle and…." Kathleen began to cry. "Da' sold me to Tom Demming."

Castle was shocked. "Sold you? You were a slave? That's legal here?"

Kathleen shook her head. "It wasn't slavery. I was indentured to him for money for Da'. He drank it all up, of course. I asked Tom when my time was up, but he would just hit me. I stopped asking."

Castle nodded. "Okay. First, we need to get those bruises looked at." Castle looked around. The doctor who had been at the duel was still around, chatting with some other well dressed men. "And there's the doctor. Perfect."

Kathleen put her hand on his arm. "A doctor, sir? Oh, no. It'll cost too much. We can see Old Mary, the witchy woman. She'll heal me just fine."

Kate took Kathleen's arm. "We're going to the doctor." She led Kathleen towards him, with the others following closely behind.

As Kate was talking to the doctor, Michael Ryan walked up to Castle.

"By all that's holy, sor. Ye have three wives that look exactly like Kathleen? No wonder ye were so interested in her."

"She's my sister in law. Family is very important to me." Castle changed the subject. "By the way, I wasn't thinking that you'd bet against me back there. I was just surprised you'd bet on a stranger."

Ryan laughed. "There's strangers and there's strangers, sor. Richard Castle, the famous shootist who killed six Jersey devils with six shots? Oi was sure Oi had a winner, sor."

Castle's brow furrowed in thought. "Was it six or only five? To tell the truth, in all the excitement, I sort of lost count." Then he smiled at Ryan, who obviously didn't recognize the line. "But I wasn't using a pistol today."

It was Ryan's turn to smile. "Sure, an' any man what carries a saber would know how to use it. And ye did." Ryan's face turned serious. "Oi've been thinkin', sor. Ye being new to Mohawk Town an' all, ye could use a guide, right?"

"You applying for the job?"

"That Oi am, sor. Say two crowns a day?"

Castle figured out how many of the silver crowns equaled his bank account and decided the offer was fair and doable. "Okay. But you should call me Rick. Everyone else does."

"Rick it is, sor."

Everyone followed the doctor back to his surgery where he provided Kathleen with a number of medications for her bruises and cuts.

Kathleen sniffed as they left. "Old Mary would have given you the same for less coin, sir."

"My name is Rick and I think it's time to take my new sister in law and everyone else out to dinner."

"We don't." Kate said. Kaitlin and Kay nodded in agreement. "What we four ladies need is some decent clothing. We've seen what ladies around here wear and it isn't jeans pants and wool shirts. We need some nice dresses. The doctor's nurse told us the best seamstress in town is a Madam Lillian who also has ready to wear clothes. She gave us the address." With that Kate took Kathleen's arm and headed for Madam Lillian's with the other two women. Rick and Ryan followed along.

"Ye have very determined wives if Oi may say so, Rick."

"You have no idea."

Local fashion tended to skirts that stopped a bit above the ankles, tight frilly blouses, with lacy shawls. Hats, they were informed, were definitely out. So, or so Madam Lillian insisted to Rick, was the idea of four well dressed ladies going around with someone dressed like a tramp. Rick came back dressed in a three piece suit in a somber dark blue wool while Ryan was natty in a hounds tooth suit with a billycock hat. Four gorgeous, well dressed women were at Madam Lillian's when they got back. Along with a giant pile of boxes and bags containing their other purchases.

Kathleen ran to Rick. "Look! The blouse is real silk. I've never worn anything like it. And my shawl. It's hand-made lace. It makes my old cotton shawl look…dowdy." She quickly kissed Rick's cheek. "I'll thank you properly tonight." She whispered.

The other three were there before Rick could explain that he didn't buy Kathleen anything with the intent of getting something in return.

"Where should we eat?" Kaitlin asked. "I'm starved."

"Where's the best place in town?" Rick asked Madam Lillian.

"The best? The very best? The Moor's, of course. It's on River Front Street, not far from your lodgings."

"We're off to the Moors then."

The Moor's certainly looked the part. It took up part of the ground floor of a substantial red brick two story building. Large glass windows, much larger than they had seen anywhere else in town allowed then to look inside. The place was fairly full of well dressed people who seemed to be eating well and enjoying themselves. They could also hear music from some kind of a string ensemble coming from inside.

"Looks good to me." Castle said, leading his party in.

As soon as they entered all of the conversation stopped and every eye turned to them. After a few seconds, the talk started up, but most eyes were still on them.

A waiter came bustling towards them. "You must be Mr. Castle and these could only be your four lovely wives."

Castle noticed that Kathleen blushed slightly, but gently rested her hand on his arm. Rick was sure this would be a problem at some time later. But he had no idea how to stop what he was afraid was coming.

He saw another familiar face coming towards them. "Look who's coming." He muttered to his wives.

Kate's eyes widened. "Oh my god."

The man stopped in front of them and bowed deeply. "Mr. Castle and the Mrs. Castles. Allow me to welcome you to my restaurant. I am Hadji al Hassan, known here as the Moor."

Castle held out his hand, which the Moor took. "Oddly enough, you look a lot like a man I once knew named Roy Montgomery."

The Moor shrugged. "I do not know this man, I fear."

The Moor explained to them that he owned his own farms in the countryside as well as owning his own dairy farms and cattle and sheep herds. Most he sold to other restaurants, keeping the best for his own customers. He also bought ice from the far north where the _skraelings_ lived to keep his produce fresh.

The Moor was right. The food was as good as anything he had at the best places in New York.

As they ate, Rick turned to Ryan. "I couldn't help but notice that there seem to be a lot of Irishmen here in Mohawk Town, but the Irish have their own colony at Clontarf, don't they? Why come up here?"

Ryan quickly crossed himself. "Now, Rick, Oi'll not be sayin' a word against the Pope back in Dublin, he is infallible in matters of faith and doctrine. But perhaps management doesn't come under them headin's." He looked at Rick as if expecting either an argument or agreement.

"I don't think it does."

Ryan nodded. "Now the High King of Ireland, and God bless Hugh O'Neill, sends over his governors, but they are but politicians. Here today an' gone tomorrow. The Archbishop of Clontarf is there for decades. The last one, Archbishop O'Toole," Ryan crossed himself again, "he was a darlin' man. He understood that a man might have a bit of a wish for a drink, a game of chance or a fine young lady on his knee. Things were fine in Clontarf. But we have a new Archbishop from three years ago."

"And he has tightened things up a bit?" Castle guessed.

"Like a bloody hangman's noose. Bloody Archbishop bloody William bloody Bracken is the reason many leave Clontarf for here."

**Author's note: SPOILER ALERT! **

**Several people have commented on the existence of Alexis in this story, but what do we really know about this Alexis? She's slender, well dressed and a redhead. And she has a grandmother. Well, you pretty much have to have a couple of those. So, is Alexis in Mohawk Town our Alexis? Hard to say, as I am of two minds about that. One part of me says it should be that Alexis and she misses seeing Rick by seconds, and another part says, no it's just some random redhead named Alexis, thrown in to keep everyone guessing. Anyway, we never find out in this story, but I am considering a sequel, so maybe we'll find out. **


	9. Chapter 9

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Yes, we have no bananas, and I own no Castle. Rating: M, and this time I mean it. Time: In the very near future.

**Chapter nine: A hot time in the old tub tonight.**

Rick and his party walked back to their hotel. Rick knew that Kate had heard about the Archbishop Bracken in this universe. In Captain Kate Beckett's universe, Bracken had been blown up by a bomb in his car. In writer Kate Beckett's universe, if Bracken did exist, he wasn't a senator or anyone else important. Luckily, they weren't in Clontarf.

Castle got Kathleen a room adjoining theirs and Michael Ryan got a room just down the hall. Rick and his three wives were glad to get back to their room.

"I need a bath." Kate said. "Did anyone check out the bathroom? Tub? Shower? Tin bucket?"

Rick, Kaitlin and Kay all shook their heads.

"I hope we _have_ a bathroom." Rick muttered.

The three women opened the only other door in the room. He heard a collective gasp.

"Rick, you need to see this." Kate said.

"Really." Kay added.

He walked over and looked over their heads. "That's our bathtub?" The tub was set into the floor and was about half the size of their room, perhaps twelve feet by twelve. The tub was some three feet deep at one end and perhaps five feet at the other. Steps led down to the shallow end.

"Now, that is a bath." Kaitlin said, starting to giggle.

"Rick and I will go first. You two can go after us."

Kaitlin and Kay exchanged glances. "Okay, I guess."

"I guess we'll undress in here." Rick said, pointing to hooks and hangers along the wall of the bathroom.

Once the door was closed, Rick started filling the tub. "The water's nice and hot."

"That's not the only thing that's hot." Kate said. "Just watch while I undress, Castle."

Kate began to dance slowly, humming, while slowly unbuttoning her blouse down the front. She showed Rick just a flash of her bra and turned around, now moving her hips back and forth while very slowly inching her blouse off of her shoulders. Her blouse fell to the floor and she bent over to pick it up, wiggling her perfect ass at him as she did. She turned to face him, showing that her bra was silk that was so sheer as to be diaphanous. He could clearly see her nipples through the material. They were poking the material out.

Rick looked down and noticed that Kate's nipples weren't the only thing poking cloth out. He quickly began to undress.

"Do you want to see more, lover?" Kate teased.

"Yes! I want to see it all."

"You will. But it'll take some time." Then she winked at him. "But not too much time." Kate turned away from him and dropped first one bra strap and then the other. Then she reached behind her and undid the bra. "What should I do now, Rick?" She whispered.

"Take it off."

She took the bra off and hung it on a peg. "And now?"

"Turn around."

She turned around, but had both hands over her boobs. "Like this?"

"No!" He cried as he finally got the last of his clothes off. "Move your hands."

She turned away from him again. "You're right. I have to take my skirt off." He undid the buttons on the back of the skirt and it slid to the floor. To his dismay, she had a half slip on. Then to his delight, she pushed the slip down. Her panties were as sheer as her bra, so when she bent over to retrieve the skirt and slip, he got a wonderful view of her taut, firm ass.

She still had on her panties, a garter belt and silk hose. Still facing away from him, she slowly peeled first one and then the other silk stocking off of her long, well-muscled legs. She then took off the garter belt. She turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "Only one thing left, lover." She pushed her panties down and stepped out of them. When she turned around, she had one arm over her boobs and the other between her legs. "What now?' She asked, feigning shyness.

"Come here." He said his voice thick with lust.

She dropped her arms to her side and walked over to him, swaying as she walked. "You are glad to see me, aren't you?" She got into the tub on the shallow end. "Sit on the edge of the tub, lover."

When he did, she bent over him. He could feel her long, soft chestnut hair on his thighs. Then she took his erection into her mouth, moving up and down, very slowly, using her tongue and lips to gently caress him. When she lifted her head slightly, she said, "I love your taste." Then she pushed her head down as far as it would go.

He gently place his hands on each side of her head. "I love you. And I love this."

She kept her head down and used her lips, tongue and teeth to very gently keep him totally aroused. As she did so, she ran her hands over the inside of his thighs, using feather touches.

"Kate, honey, it's been a long time. If you don't stop…"

She stood up and smiled. He reached for her boobs. "Not just yet, lover. Soon, but not yet." She dipped down into the tub, stuck two fingers inside of herself and washed herself as thoroughly as she could. She moved to the top step of the bath and stood in front of him. "Your turn, Rick."

Still sitting, he reached forward and grabbed her ass cheeks, and pulled her towards him. He inhaled her scent, then ran his tongue from the bottom of her slit to her clit. He nibbled on the clit for a few seconds, then began slowly running his tongue up and down. He put his thumbs on her lips and moved them apart, allowing his tongue access to her insides. He heard her moan and pushed his tongue as deeply inside as he could get.

Kate's hands moved to her boobs, squeezing them and pinching her nipples. She moved one hand to the back of his head to push him further against her.

Rick went back to nibbling on her clit, then slowly parted his ass cheeks, and slid one digit of his little finger inside.

"Rick. Now. God. Now. Please." She moaned.

"Yeah, now." He pulled her down and entered her all at once. "You are so wet and so tight. It's been too fucking long, Kate."

"More! More!' She moaned in his ears.

She pushed herself up and down on him while his hands roamed all over her body, caressing her face, her boobs, nipples, her stomach, ass and thighs. He wished he had more hands so he could touch every part of her at once.

"Oh, fuck, Castle. I'm there, lover. I am so there." Kate took him as deeply inside of her as she could and sought his mouth with hers. She moaned and groaned through her orgasm. "What about you?" Before he could answer, she felt a spurt of wetness inside her.

"I have to find a better word than remarkable." He gasped.

She giggled. "I just say Castleistic."

He looked at her and laughed. "I could say I was Becketted."

"Or we could just say we're in love."

She moved off of him and into the deep end of the tub. "Wash me off, Rick. I'm feeling _very_ dirty. I need a _lot_ of washing off."

Castle grabbed a sponge from the side of the tub and headed for Kate. Before he got there, another door opened and Kathleen walked in, completely naked. Castle quickly averted his eyes. In seconds she was in the tub with her arms around him, pushing her boobs into his chest. "I told you I'd thank you." She laughed. "I've never pleasured a man with another me watching."

Rick pushed her away before Kate went ballistic. Kathleen's smile dissolved into a frown and then tears. "I'm sorry. I should have known that you wouldn't want someone like me when you're married to three such fine ladies."

Rick looked over at Kate, hoping for a way out of this. They could hardly tell Kathleen the truth, that the three women were not her sisters, but alternate Kate Becketts. And Rick couldn't stand the idea of Kathleen going back into Mohawk Town and to someone like the local Tom Demming.

Kathleen headed for the steps, but blinded by tears, she fell. Rick grabbed her and pulled her up.

" Kathleen, you're as fine a person as anyone. What happened to you wasn't your fault. But I love my wife…wives and I don't cheat on them. And like I told you, you're family. You're with us now. At least if you want to be with us."

Kathleen collapsed against him, sobbing. "I'm sorry. I couldn't believe any man would…" The rest was lost in her sobs.

Kate put her arm around the sobbing woman. "It's okay, Kathleen. You're family and we all want you with us."

Castle was very conscious of Kathleen's boobs pressing against his chest and for that matter, Kate's boobs were against his side. He could also feel Kathleen's pubic hair against his leg. He couldn't help it, he was getting aroused again.

He was planning his escape when the door to their bedroom opened and Kaitlin and Kaye came in, equally nude.

"Yes?" Castle asked, starting to worry.

"The floor maid just realized there are no robes or towels in this bathroom. She said she'll be back with some soon. We figured we should be in here when she comes." Both women got into the tub and joined the three in a group hug of sorts. Kate was on Rick's left, Kathleen in front of him, Kaitlin to his right and Kay was behind him. All around him he could feel warm, toned female flesh pressing against him.

Someone had noticed his arousal. He felt a hand go to his erection. Luckily he saw it was Kate's hand and he relaxed. But Kay had her arms around him and was grinding her boobs into his back while rubbing herself against his ass. Kaitlin reached over and grasped the tip of his erection while Kathleen groped his scrotum.

Before either he or Kate could complain, the door opened and two Rubenesque blondes walked in. "Don't mind us." One said. "You can just go ahead with your four wives. It's nothing we haven't seen before. We get lots of Cherokees here. Although the Irish can be quite randy as well. Even the Norse can be surprisingly hot blooded." Both women laughed.

"We _are_ your wives." Kate said softly, kissing him open mouthed, inviting his tongue in.

Kathleen nibbled on his ear, whispering very graphic suggestions in his ear. Kay and Kaitlin kept pressing themselves against him, arousing him still further. Rick looked up at the two maids who were happily chatting away while watching the goings on in the tub and occasionally hanging a robe or towel up. No help there.

Suddenly, Kaitlin pushed Kathleen away, put her arms around his shoulders and threw her legs around his waist. Before he could even think, she drove herself down on his erection until he was fully inside of her, having pushed Kate and Kathleen's hands away.

_Kate is going to kill her. _Rick thought. But Kate not only continued to kiss him, but took his hand and slid a finger inside her slit. Figuring he'd better keep her distracted, he pushed first one, then two and finally three fingers inside of her while using his thumb to stroke her clit.

It was with horror that he realized that Kathleen, now pushed to his side, had also grabbed his hand and was pushing his finger into her. He tried to pull away, but his arm was trapped between all of the warm, naked Beckett flesh surrounding him. Kathleen continued to drive herself onto his finger, moaning into his ear.

From what he could feel from behind him, Kay was masturbating herself while she pushed her boobs into his back and kissed the back of his neck.

Although he didn't want to, he knew he could no longer keep from coming. As he did, Kaitlin began chanting,"I love you. I love you. I love you.", over and over again.

Kate, Kay, Kaitlin and Kathleen all sagged away from him at once, obviously sated.

Castle looked up and saw the two maids were just leaving. One of them winked at him as they closed the door.

"I think we should get out of the tub." He gasped. 


	10. Chapter 10

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: The Castle that I don't own is zero to the infinite power. Rating: M Time: In the very near future.

**Chapter ten. We meet again. **

Castle was standing in a tub contemplating what it would be like to be beaten to death by his wife when Kathleen brushed her lips against his.

"That was wonderful, Rick." She said in a low, sexy voice. The smile on her face faded as she suddenly noticed Kate, Kaitlin and Kay looking at her. "Jesus and Mary!" She cried. "I'm so sorry. He's your husband and I just…" She started wading towards the stairs, but Kate caught her arm.

"Kathleen, please remember that you are our sister and you're family to all of us. Don't do anything foolish. We want you with us for as long as you want to be with us." Kate looked past Kathleen at the other two women and narrowed her eyes. The women agreed that Kathleen should stay.

"Thank you all so much. But I should go back to my room. I'll see you tomorrow."

Castle tried not to watch her naked body leave the tub, water dripping off of her and all of her bouncing nicely.

"We need to go to our room as well." Kate said coldly.

They grabbed towels and robes as they left. As soon as they were back, Castle turned to Kate. "This was all my fault. Kate, I would never cheat on you, but there were three other yous. I was…I was…" Castle stopped. There was no use trying to talk his way out of this. All he could do was take his punishment.

Kate nodded. "I don't blame you, Rick. I can't imagine any male not being physically aroused by four women at once. And I was one of the four women." Kate kissed him softly. "I love you, Rick and I know that in an odd way that no one has ever experienced before, you love the three of them, or the three of me, or the four of us, or whatever it is."

She turned and faced the other two women. "I don't blame Kathleen, either. She's been abused for years. I've dealt with battered women before. They're so terrified of the man in their life that they'll do anything for him. But, I will have a talk with her."

Kaitlin stepped forward. "This is my fault. I actually…jumped Rick. I sexually assaulted your husband. Whatever punishment you want to hand out, I accept it."

"It's not all your fault." Kay said. "I was there, too. I'd have jumped him, too, if I could have, and I did my best to get off on Rick. I'm at fault here, too."

Kate nodded. "On one level, I'm beyond enraged about this. But, I remember we're essentially undercover. We're here on this Earth because we've been sentenced to death and are hiding. I know that the other Meredith said they have no monitors on this Earth, but she could be lying or maybe she doesn't know as much as she thinks she does. We're Rick's wives here and we should act like that in front of Kathleen and in front of strangers like the maids tonight. And you're me, and he loves all of us mes, if that makes any sense. So, I'm not going to make an issue of it. As long as it never happens again. Understood? Hugs and kisses are okay if necessary, but that's it. This will never happen again, do I make myself clear? Never!"

"I'm sorry." Kaitlin said. "I just lost control. I was so sad and lonely for so many years. And then your Rick somehow came into my life and I felt something between us at once. When he was shot he said he loved me and I knew I loved him as well, but when he recovered, he had no memory of me or anything that had happened. In the short time we had before I got…taken to another Earth, we became no more than acquaintances. We weren't partners, friends, lovers, or man and wife. Kate you're married to your Rick, and Kay and her Rick are in love, but I don't even know if I'll ever see my Rick again, or if he'll even want to see me. But I swear, I'll never do anything with your Rick again."

"Me either." Kay added.

"We should go to bed." Kate said. Castle was happy to get the night over with. But when he slipped into bed next to Kate, he found that she had slipped out of her nightgown. She reached for him and stroked him. "Ready for another round, lover?" She whispered.

"The other two are right over there." He whispered back.

"I know."

When they came down to breakfast the next morning, the conversation stopped and then resumed. There were a lot of hushed conversations and furtive looks at the Castles.

Phineas Finn was dining with his wives and waved them to his table. "Mr. Castle, you are indeed a man among men. I heard that last night…" Finn noticed he was looking at four grim faced Castle ladies. "Perhaps this isn't something gentlemen should discuss." He finished lamely.

Ryan joined them for breakfast and soon the two Irishmen were talking finance to Rick and the ladies.

"You're a wealthy man, Rick." Phineas said, "But you need to invest your money. The interest the local banks pay is not that much."

"What's there to invest in?" Rick honestly hadn't seen a lot in Mohawk Town that you could invest in. Most of the businesses were small, mom and pop type operations.

Finn thought for a minute. "This is not Europe where a man can invest in a factory, or a trading expedition to far lands. Why, in Europe they have limited stock corporations so you don't risk more than your investment. If you invest in trade, you don't invest in one ship, you put a little bit of money into twenty ships so that is one is lost, you don't lose your whole investment."

"What can we invest in?" Kate asked.

"Real property mostly. There are fine farms up river. And some wineries. You might look into investing on several of them. I know several honest estate agents. I can give you their names. You can find others, I'm sure."

"I can identify the ones that aren't honest." Kathleen said in a low voice, looking away from Rick. "Mohawk Town isn't that big. When I was with Tom, I was…" Kathleen blushed furiously. "I can be useful." She finally said.

"Thank you." Rick said, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

Hugh O'Donnell claimed to be descended from one of the ancient High Kings of Ireland. He was a tall, heavily built, florid man who looked like he knew which end of the bottle the whiskey came out of, but Finn, Ryan and Kathleen swore he was honest.

O'Donnell looked down his very red nose at Rick. "Nothing but the best, that's my motto, Mr. Castle. We'll be taking the _Oneida Belle,_ a steamship, by the grace of God, just like they have in Europe, up the river. And, your wine can come down river on her and your goods can go up river faster than any canoe or bateau can go."

Castle and his three wives stood by the rail of the steamboat and watched scenery the likes of which no man had seen in their worlds in several hundred years. "The shore on both sides is almost deserted. Just some farms and the occasional small town." Rick said.

"Of course." Kathleen said. "What would you expect?"

The others said nothing, of course. And shortly O'Donnell and Ryan went inside to the bar. Kate noticed that Kathleen was staying apart from the others. She reached over and took Kathleen's hand. "Stand next to me, sister of mine. Stand with me and my husband."

Kathleen blushed furiously, but moved next to Rick. After a few minutes, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Rick figured they were somewhere around West Point when they got off the _Oneida Belle_. O'Donnell had a handsome carriage pulled by four black horses to take them the short ride to the winery Rick wanted to inspect.

O'Donnell stood inside the well appointed brick house that came with the winery and described the many acres, the well trained workers and the servants that came with what was obviously an estate, not just a winery.

The estate agent walked to the large front window to point out the houses for workers when he was thrown backwards and the air was split by the rattle of an automatic weapon.

"Get down!" Kate screamed, drawing a pistol from beneath her dress.

"Jayzus!" Cried Ryan. "What was that?"

Kaitlin and Kaye pulled out their pistols, as did Castle.

He noticed that Kathleen was down, and barely moving. "Kathleen! Are you okay?"

Her answer was drowned out by the roar of a long burst of fire.

"Kathleen!" Rick cried, crawling to her. "Are you hit?"

"Yes. In the chest. Don't worry about me. Help your wives."

Kate risked a look out the shattered window. "I can see him. It looks like he has body armor on and I'd swear he has an AK 47. Where the hell did he come from?"

The black clad form moved around a tree and loosed another long burst into the house. As the occupants ducked for cover, he ran to a tree closer to the house.

As he rose to fire, Kate shot and him square in the chest. He staggered back, but fired another short burst. "You hit me, but those toys of yours won't penetrate my armor." He laughed. "I hear you killed another one of me, but now I get to kill four of you and your writer buddy."

"Coonan?" Kate and Rick said together.

Rick nodded. "There are lots of us, so there must be lots of Coonans out there."

"Kaye!" Rick yelled as the writer ran for the back door and on out of the house.

"I didn't expect that." Kate said.


	11. Chapter 11

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own no Castle at all. Rating: M Time: the very near future.

**Chapter eleven. On the Road Again.**

Rick heard a pistol shot and a curse from Kaitlin. "I hit the bastard in the head and all it did was rock him back a little. I should…" Whatever she was about to say was drowned out by another burst of fully automatic fire.

"You okay?" Kate called.

"Yes." Kaitlin called back. "But the bastard is about twenty yards from the house. He's behind a big tree and there's a huge pile of firewood between his tree and the house. That's where he'll go next. Then he'll come in after us."

"Should we make a run for it?" Castle yelled.

"No." Kate replied. "Our only chance of penetrating his armor with these pistols is to shoot him at point blank range. I'm not at all confident about how that'll work out."

Rick nodded. "Kate, I love you. And Kaitlin, I'm sure your Rick loves you, because I do. And I love you as well, Kathleen. Even Kaye, who ran out on us. I love every Kate Beckett everywhere."

"Jayzus!" Cried Ryan. "What are ye talkin' about?"

"Just keep your head down, Ryan."

Rick saw Coonan stand up and sprint for the pile of firewood. He fired four times and was sure he hit him at least three times. He had heard both Kate and Kaitlin fire and was sure they had hit the hired killer as well, but their bullets just seemed to bounce off of his body armor.

Rick got up and headed for the kitchen as that seemed to be the most likely place that Coonan would try to enter the house. If he could knock him down, maybe, just maybe he could get a killing shot in before he himself died. It had to be better than multiple Kates dying.

"Hey, bitches!" Coonan called. "That tickled. Maybe if one of you want to live a little longer, we can have some fun. Or all of you, except the writer. Not my type at all. I'm really looking forward to this."

Rick broke open his revolver, ejected the spent shells and reloaded. He wished he brought the rifles. Hell, he wished he thought to pack a flamethrower for his trip to another Earth.

He heard the report of a pistol which seemed to come from outside followed by a long burst of fire from Coonan. "Bitch! You shot me. Damned whore."

Another pistol shot sounded followed by a scream from Coonan. Then, "Get me out! Pull me out dammit, I'm wounded."

There was another shot and Kaye called out. "Stay in the house. I hit him and he can't move, but he's still alive and I can't get another shot."

A thought suddenly hit Rick. "Kathleen!" He ran back to the living room and found her lying on the floor, in pain. "Where are you hit?"

She looked up at him. "In the chest, but don't worry about me. I don't belong with you. I'm naught but a whore. When Tom couldn't pay his gambling debts, he'd send me to the men and they'd…" She started crying. "You're the only man I've ever been with who didn't hurt me when we…." She broke down into sobs.

Rick carefully unbuttoned her blouse. There was blood right between her breasts. Rick's brow furrowed. _There ought to be a lot more blood than that_. Then he had a thought. "Kathleen, I think the bullet that hit you went through O'Donnell first. It only had enough energy to break the skin, but it did hit you hard enough to knock you down." He reached inside her bra.

"Rick! No!" Kathleen tried to push his hand away. "Your wives will see. Please."

Castle laughed as he pulled a bullet from her bra. "There's the bullet that hit you, Kathleen. It broke the skin and may have damaged a bone, but you'll be okay."

Castle looked up to see Kate standing over them. "Is she really okay?"

Castle nodded. "I'm pretty sure. Oddly enough, she may have a little scar right about where yours is."

Kate leaned down and kissed him. "In case you were wondering, you can grope the boobs of anyone as long as you're just looking for a bullet."

"Can I look for a bullet in your bra tonight?"

She laughed. "Let's go see what Kaye did." As she said that, there was another burst of automatic fire.

"That was me, making sure of the bastard." Kaye called.

Rick and Kate helped Kathleen to her feet, put their arms around her waist and headed outside.

Kaye was standing over the dead assassin, holding his assault rifle. His helmet and visor were off and he had bullet holes in his forehead and face.

"What happened?" Rick, Kate and Kaitlin asked at once.

"Was there a shootout in North Hollywood in '97 between some bank robbers and the LAPD where you were?"

All three nodded.

"When I wrote _Thicker Than Water, _I wanted my hero, Kandy Kane to have a shootout with robbers in state of the art body armor, from head to toe, and armed with assault rifles, just like what happened in real life. But I couldn't figure out how she could kill them."

"Kandy Kane?" Rick asked. "Really?" He turned to Kate. "And you complained about Nikki Heat."

Kate ignored him. "How did she do it?"

"An ex-military friend of mine said that they wouldn't have body armor on the soles of their feet. So, I had Kandy get behind then and wait until they knelt, then she shot them in the feet. The bullets went up the leg and severed the femoral artery and they bled out. And that's what I did to him."

"I'm sorry." Castle said quickly. "I thought you had run away. I'm truly sorry for doubting you."

"We doubted you too." Kate said, with Kaitlin nodding. "We apologize as well."

"Sorry. I didn't have the time to stop and explain."

"By all the saints in heaven. What are ye people talking about an' what is this fellow who's bullet proof and has a gun that shoots like that?" Ryan asked.

Rick and the three Kates exchanged glances. "We need to tell you and Kathleen a few things."

As best they could, they explained who they were and where they had come from and how they had gotten here.

Ryan seemed totally shocked. "Other world like this one? Only with…" he gestured at the dead body, "Wi' these things?"

"That's what we said." Castle said.

"We need to get rid of the body, his armor and his weapons. There's a small lake to the north with a small boat. We can bury him and dump the gear in the lake."

"Are ye mad?" Ryan cried. "Weapons an' armor like this? Do ye know what we can get for it?"

Kaitlin nodded. "A bullet in the back of the head. He was calling to be extracted, which means someone was listening. The next time they won't send one person, they'll send a dozen. We have to get out of here."

Rick and Kate nodded simultaneously. "First we need to get rid of the evidence. Damn! O'Donnell will be missed. And when someone comes looking, they'll see all this damage to the house. We have to get out of here and fast."

Rick and Ryan dug a shallow grave for Coonan and piled firewood over it. Kate, Kaitlin and Kaye got rid of everything that Coonan had on him.

"How do we get back to the city?" Castle asked when everything was taken care of.

"There's a small town not a mile from here." Kathleen volunteered. "You can pay for a canoe to take us back. You have enough money hire the best they have and make a quick trip back."

"We have enough money, Kathleen." Rick said softly. "We have enough money."

Kathleen blushed slightly and smiled.

"Once there, where do we go?" Kaye asked.

"Upriver? I have family and friends." Ryan said,

"No." Rick said quickly. "They must have someone in Mohawk Town and in a small town, we'd stand out like sore thumbs."

"Europe?" Kaitlin suggested.

"On a boat for weeks?" Kate replied. "We couldn't hide."

"We're supposed to be from the Cherokee Confederacy. How about we head there?" Castle asked.

"We can pretend to be Cherokees in Mohawk Town, but how long do you think it would be before the Cherokees started to figure out we weren't who we said we were?"

"Clontarf?" Kathleen said. "It's all that's left."

"I can't go to Clontarf." Ryan said suddenly.

"Ryan, just because the place is a little hard on those with…a love of life, doesn't mean…" Rick began.

"That's not it." Ryan said. "There was a girl. Well, there were two girls." A smile came over the Irishman's face. "Jennifer Scout Duffy O'Malley and Margaret Flanagan." The smile faded. "Somehow they both fell pregnant."

"Somehow?" Castle said with a grin. "I'm pretty sure that that particular medical mystery has been solved hereabouts." Castle's grin widened. "You sly dog, you."

"It's not funny, Rick. If I go back to Clonarf, I'll end up wi' the brothers grim."

"In fairy tale land?"

Ryan looked at him strangely. "Fairy tale land?"

"Most of those stories were from Central Europe." Kate said. "Think, Castle. We don't want to give ourselves away."

"Oi'd end up wi' the brothers o' the two ladies and they are a grim bunch." Ryan broke in.

Rick nodded. "Okay. We'll give you enough money to get to your relatives up river and live on the down low for a while. Would five hundred crowns he enough?"

"Five hundred?" Ryan cried, "Jayzus, Rick! Five hundred? I'll be a bloody landlord."


	12. Chapter 12

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: As Yoda said to me, "Castle you own not." Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter Twelve. The Joyous. **

After a quick trip down river to Mohawk Town, Castle and his ladies had closed out their bank accounts, retrieved all of their weapons and other gear and were down at the docks, trying to get passage to Clontarf.

"The best ship for a passage to Clontarf would be the _Brian Boru_. She's a fast steamship, well armed with a loyal crew. Nothing has ever happened on her runs." The speaker was a rather pudgy blonde dressed in a blue uniform with brass buttons, apparently modeled on a naval uniform. She sat behind a desk, shuffling papers before her. "I can get first class passages for you and…" She looked speculatively at the four identical women with Castle and the one lone Irishman.

"My wives. We're Cherokee citizens. And Mr. Ryan won't be coming with us." Castle gave her his most charming smile.

Apparently it worked, for the woman smiled back. "Five first class passages? We can put you in three adjoining cabins. You get three meals a day and you have your own private head. The ladies will appreciate that. That'll be seventy five crowns apiece. The ship leaves in only four hours, so if you wish, I can have your luggage taken there now. No charge."

Castle quickly put gold worth 375 crowns before the woman who scooped it up and handed him back five steamship tickets. She turned around in her chair. "Joshua! Get your worthless behind out here! You need to deliver the luggage for this gentleman and his ladies to the _Brian Boru_. Move, you lazy rascal."

Castle did a double take when he saw the man who'd handle their luggage. "Excuse me, I think I know him. He's Josh..?"

The woman grunted. "Davidson, my useless husband. Hasn't drawn a sober breath since our wedding day. I've been trying to get it annulled for years, but that useless prick Bracken won't hear of it. The sanctity of marriage, my ass. And whatever you do, don't tip the useless bastard. He'll just go off and get drunk."

As Josh wheeled their luggage away, Castle turned to Ryan. "Michael, you've been a big help to us. You have all the money you need now?"

Ryan nodded. "It's way too much, Rick."

"And you have a weapon?"

Ryan lifted his coat to show a small revolver in a shoulder holster. "I can't go with you, but I've written letters of introduction to some of my friends in Clontarf." He handed them to Rick. "They're good people. They'll help you out."

Once Ryan walked away, Rick and the ladies walked to the _Brian Boru_. Once the luggage was loaded, he called Josh over. "Josh, you've been a big help." He handed Josh two gold coins.

"Two crowns? Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you so much."

"Drink one for me, okay?"

Josh nodded slyly and headed away from the steamship ticket office and his wife.

"A little jealousy, Castle?" Kate asked.

"No, just making sure that if anyone asks about us, Josh won't be in any condition to help."

The Castle's spent the next four hours on the deck of the _Brian Boru_, hoping not to see the local police coming after them to ask about the deaths of O'Donnell and Coonan. It wasn't until they were at sea for an hour that they relaxed.

Curious, Castle went to talk to Captain Siggurdson. "Why is the ship so well armed?" He asked.

Siggurdson looked at him strangely, "Pirates, of course. They're all over the coast. The Mohawks have never taken an interest in the sea and my people haven't been able to make them interested. In fact, in spite of being the descendants of Vikings, most Norse are more like the Mohawks now. And the damned Irish under the damned Archbishop Bracken are more interested in using the police and military to track down sinners than keeping pirates off the sea." Seeing that Castle didn't really understand, the captain went on. "This is a new world. There are two centers of civilization, if you'll excuse me for leaving out you Cherokees, sir. But beyond that, there's only open land. Plenty of people head over the mountains and into Cantukey and places further west. Some go down the coast all the way to the Carib Sea. And they don't take the law with them, Mr. Castle. They do not take the law. Nor do they take God." The captain smiled at Castle. "But there's no reason for you and your wives to worry. This is a fast, well armed ship. Pirates go after easier prey."

Castle was feeling a little better when he gathered the women in his and Kate's cabin and explained things to them. "So, we should be okay, but everyone keep your weapons handy." He turned to his latest "wife". "Kathleen, we'll teach you to shoot as soon as we reach dry land, okay?" They had made a quick stop in Mohawk Town to buy revolvers and a rifle for Kathleen, but she had no prior experience with firearms.

Kathleen smiled happily. "Whatever you and Kate say, Rick. I never expected to hear anyone call me Mrs. anybody. I know I'm not really your wife like Kate is, but thank you. Thank you so much."

"If we can, Kathleen, "Kate said, "we'll take you with us if we can go home."

"To the worlds you come from?" Kathleen gasped. "The one with huge buildings, flying machines, pictures that move in your own home and all?"

Kate and the rest nodded. "If we can't take you, we'll give you all of our money. Or we may have to stay here for the rest of our lives. But no matter what, your part of our family now."

Kathleen rose and hugged all four of her new family.

They weren't even past the New Jersey coast when the lookout spied a sail on the horizon. Castle and the ladies joined the captain, who was looking at the strange ship through a telescope.

"What can you see?" Castle asked anxiously.

"The ship isn't under command, Mr. Castle. The sails are just flapping in the wind." The captain studied the ship some more. "Not under weigh at all, dammit."

"What does that mean?" Kaitlin asked.

"Pirates." The captain said shortly. "It's a small coastwise trader. It's probably been taken by pirates and the crew murdered. Or worse, it's filled up with pirates just hoping a ship like this one will come by and go look so the murdering scum can rush us and take the ship. Either way, we'll not go near her.'

Castle frowned. "Someone could be alive over there. We should go look."

"I'm in command here, Mr. Castle. We'll not go over there."

"Suppose you let me go in a small boat? If you stand off a few hundred yards, your ship can't be taken."

"One of you?" the captain said, disbelievingly.

"Two." Kate said.

"Three." Kaitlin added.

"Four." Kaye said quickly.

"Five." Kathleen added, with just a slight hesitation.

"Mr. Castle!" The captain said sharply. "I am responsible for your safety and that…"

"Captain!" Cried a tall, heavily built young man in an officer's uniform. His blue eyes blazed above a full blond beard. "Four _women_ are volunteering to search that vessel?"

"Yes, Mr. Hardrada, they have so volunteered. But I will not approve it. That's my final say!"

Hardrada's face turned red. "How are my men to hold their heads up if _women_ volunteer for dangerous assignments and we are kept here? We'll be the laughing stock of the whole coast!"

The captain dragged Hardrada over to the side of the quarterdeck where they had a brief, but very quiet argument. Finally, the captain strode over to Rick, a scowl on his face. "You'll get your way, Mr. Castle. I'll bring her alongside, with all guns manned, and you and Mr. Hardrada's men can go to that ship." As the captain walked away, Castle heard him mutter, "And then you can go to the devil."

The captain handed out rifles, pistols and cutlasses to his crew and manned the breech loading cannons that lined the main deck. Several armed passengers came up from below decks and took their positions. Slowly the _Brian Boru_ inched towards the ship. The lookout in the crow's nest called down, "I can see the deck. No one moving, but there are dead there."

Grappling hooks were tossed over to the other ship and the _Brian Boru_ was made fast alongside. A gangplank was put between the ships. Mr. Hardrada went over first, closely followed by Rick, then his wives and Hardrada's men.

"Dead." Hardrada said, checking a man who had been tied to the main mast. "They used red hot irons on him. Not a pleasant death."

"Nor this one." Said an armed sailor. "They chopped his ribs loose from his breastbone and pulled them apart, exposing his lungs."

Castle quickly went to check the cabins in the stern of the ship. He hadn't taken more than a step inside the cabin, when he started backing up. He felt his stomach churning and had to remind himself that _he'd_ seen many dead bodies, some worse than this. _No. I've seen bodies as bad as this, but never worse. Never. _As he backed out of the small cabin, he bumped into Kate.

"What's in there?" She asked.

"Nothing you want to see."

She tried to push her way past him, but he stopped her. "Kate, there are two women in there. They were repeatedly raped, sexually mutilated and had their throats cut all the way to spine."

"You checked they were dead?"

"Of course. And there's no need to gather evidence. We're not cops here."

A crewman interrupted them. "Mr. Hardrada's compliments, sir. The hold's empty and only the dead man this ship. We found the ships papers, the pirates apparently took them off the captain. They tore them up, but we've identified the ship. She's the sloop _Joyous, _out of Chesapeake Town. We'll tow her to the nearest port and even get a small salvage fee. So, it weren't a waste of time after all." She sailor saluted and walked off.

"Someone's happy, at least. He gets a few coins from salvage." Castle said disgustedly.

Kate took his hand in hers. "This is a different world. People die of diseases we've conquered. There's more violence in everyday life here. Don't let it get you down."

"How do I do that?" He asked sadly.

"Remember that you have four women who love you to take care of."

Castle leaned over and kissed her. "I'll remember that."

Just before sundown Castle was on deck, watching the coast go by when he spotted a ship sailing close to the shore. "Any idea what that ship is over there?" He asked the officer of the deck, a young, blond ensign.

"Likely a pirate, sir. She's a brig. A large, fast ship, sailing close to the shore. She'll have a shallow draft to get up the rivers to raid and stay in the shallows away from larger warships. No honest ship would sail that close to the shore."

"What'll we do?"

"Let her be, sir. We'll let her be. Our draft is greater than hers so we can't close on her. And we're not really manned or equipped for real combat, sir. We're strong enough to make any pirate look for a weaker vessel, but that's all." The officer grinned at Castle. "Plus, the other passengers would bitch mightily, sir. Yes, they would."

When Castle went to bed that night, he made sure that everyone had their weapons handy. Even then, he had nightmares.


	13. Chapter 13

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: You know the drill by now. Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter thirteen. The heart of darkness.**

When Castle and his wives came out on deck the next morning for breakfast, he immediately saw that fires were burning ashore. "Trouble?" He asked a sailor.

"Trouble, sir?" The sailor asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

"Fires ashore?" Castle pointed.

The man smiled. "No, sir. Them's just settlers burning off the underbrush to start new farms. T'ain't no trouble, sir." The man stood by Castle and his wives, looking like he wanted to say more.

"Is there something else?" Rick asked.

The man nodded to Rick. "I heard folks talk in Mohawk Town about you and the ladies. They say you was across the Big Muddy and all the way to the Shining Mountains and beyond. I heard you went to the Great Sea of the Orient. They say they's bison that covers the prairies, and mountains so high that they can't be climbed, and boiling water that shoots out of the ground and cities made of gold and tribes of beautiful women that has no men. I've heard there are powerful wizards that live in the sky and live forever. They say you was there, sir. They say you got rich. Richer than any man before you. What did you find, sir? What did you see?"

Castle nodded. He could see that other sailors had stopped working and were edging towards him. "There are buffalo by the millions and fierce tribes that follow them and live off the herds. There is a great ocean on the far side of this continent and if you could cross it, you'll find the riches of Asia. Although you'd have to sail for thousands of miles. But, I saw no mountains that couldn't be climbed, nor any cities made of gold. There are women there, but they have men. And I found no wizards of any sort. But, there truly are more wonders there than I could describe in a month. But do you know the greatest treasure that I found?"

"What, sir?"

Castle put his arms around Kate and Kathleen. "My wives."

The sailor nodded. "I've heard that your ladies are warrior queens in their own lands. What I saw yesterday on the _Joyous_ makes me think there's a mite of truth to that story."

Kate smiled but shook her head. "We have traveled to distant lands with our husband, but we've never been queens. But we can handle ourselves in a fight."

"Well, perhaps you can find some time to yarn with us, sir." The sailors noticed an officer watching them and quickly went back about their business.

Castle nuzzled Kaye's neck. "If I can find the time." He said, as they walked away.

At the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, they were met by a warship flying a green flag with a golden cross in the center. The warship took the _Joyous_ in tow, and the _Brian Boru_ now sailed north towards Clontarf. Unlike what they had seen on the trip thus far, the land was dotted with neat farms and small towns. Sailboats of all sorts were seen in Chesapeake Bay and even a few steamships chugged along.

"There are no pirates here." Captain Siggurdson told Castle that afternoon. "The Irish do keep both the land and the sea well patrolled in their own backyard. As well they might. But they care little for what happens outside of their little patch of land, and even that they…." Once again, Captain Siggurdson seemed unwilling to speak his mind in front of strangers.

"You're not a fan of the local government?" Castle asked cautiously, hoping to find out more about their destination. His wives moved closer to him so they could hear as well.

"Government? The High King in Dublin send one jack in office after another to rule Clontarf, or so they claim." The captain spat over the side of the ship. "Bah! I could carve a better man out of a banana than the last five governors or so. The real power is the Archbishop. The Pope in Dublin makes sure he sends men to Clontarf who'll stay long enough to learn and understand this new world. But this…" The captain looked like he thought better of what he had been about to say. "However, Archbishop Bracken seems little interested in anything beyond punishing any sinners in Clontarf City. And he's a man who has no trouble finding sinners." The captain looked around him. "To the south and west of Clontarf are savage natives, runaway Moorish slaves, and rogue Irishmen. They were gangs, raiding small farms on the outskirts of Clontarf. Now they've become tribes and are no longer just raiding. They've driven some Irish out of counties they've inhabited for fifty years or more. Soon they'll be a threat to the whole colony, but will anyone do anything about it? Of course not. Not and risk the wrath of Bracken, damn his eyes."

Once at Clontarf City and tied to the pier, the _Brian Boru_ was met by a squad of armed soldiers, dressed in black breeches and light brown jackets.

Castle pointed to them. "Irish soldiers dressed in black and tan? This is a different world."

One of the sailors nudged him. "See the red bands around their right arms, sir. That means they're assigned to the archbishop himself. Stay away from them. And if you must deal with them, be very, very polite."

As the passengers disembarked, they were met by the soldiers who checked everyone's papers. When Rick and the ladies got to them, the soldier examining their papers sneered. "Cherokees? Damned pagan savages." He looked more closely at the five of them. "Or, more likely renegade whites. Over there. The officer will want to talk to you."

Remembering what the sailor had said, Castle smiled. "Of course."

After all of the other passengers and crew had departed, a young officer swaggered over to them. "You're Castle?" He barked.

"Yes, sir." He said politely.

"These your women?"

"My wives, sir."

"Like hell. They'd only be your wives if you were married in a proper Christian church and no proper Christian church would marry one man to four women. So, these women are no more than your whores. Understood?"

Castle felt Kate squeeze his arm. "Understood, sir."

"We're you married by those damned pagan Cherokees or by the heretics who hide there from God's justice?"

Castle quickly decided that pagans were a better choice than heretics. "We were married by the Cherokees, sir."

The officer spat. "Why are you here?"

"I have some funds that I need to invest, sir."

"We don't need your damned pagan money. If it was up to me, I'd throw you all in prison, but the gutless governor won't have it. On your way. Now." As they walked away, the officer called after them. "Remember, we'll be watching you."

They went on their way as fast as they could. Once they were out of sight of the soldiers, Castle looked around. "I'm not sure we're any safer here than we would have been in the Cherokee lands."

"We're closer to the Cherokee lands." Kathleen said. "We can make a run for it if we have to."

"Or try for Europe." Kaitlin added.

"Let's check around Clontarf City first." Rick said. "Maybe it isn't as bad as it looks."

Castle pulled out the letters from Michael Ryan and asked a passerby for directions. The nearest of Ryan's friends was only a few streets away. In the way there, they noticed far too many soldiers on the streets, pushing the citizens aside. They knocked on the door of a substantial brick building.

"Yes?" Said a small, dark haired woman, dressed in a black dress and a white cap, who opened the door. She only opened the door a little way and had a suspicious look on her face.

"We're friends of Michael Ryan, just in from Mohawk Town. We have a letter of introduction from him for Mr. O'Malley. Is he available?"

The woman nodded. "From Michael?" She looked up and down the street. "Then you should come in. Quickly, now." She shooed them inside.

Mr. O'Malley was a businessman who was friends with the rather extensive Ryan family. He found the Castles a bank and a place to live. He also gave them more advice about living in Clontarf City itself. His advice was, "Don't."

"Don't?" Castle had asked.

"Not married to four women. Or as a Cherokee. There are some inland towns where the local police aren't so over awed by Bracken and his sort. You can live peacefully there, but that…" O'Malley had stopped. "The walls have ears these days. You should remember that, Mr. Castle. As long as you stay away from the frontier and all the gangs that infest that area, you should be all right. I'll be happy to help you find a place."

Once settled in a small inn on the outskirts of Clontarf City, one not frequented by the local police or military, Castle and his ladies went looking for somewhere to settle permanently. O'Malley had found a friend who had contacts among some people outside of Clontarf City.

Castle knocked on the door and tried to project the image of a man of substance. To his surprise, the door was opened by a soldier. "More damned heretics!" The soldier yelled and a squad poured out of the house and dragged the Castles inside. Luck was truly against them as the same officer who had insulted them on the pier was also there.

"The Cherokee and his whores. I knew they were heretics. I can smell the filthy scum." He laughed. "And I'll smell you when you burn, heretic!"

They were hauled off with the inhabitants of the house to what must have been the main police station. Looking at it Rick had been reminded of a joke he had heard from his time with the CIA. "The tallest building in the world is Lubianka Prison in Moscow. From its cellars, you can see Siberia."

As they were dragged in, a tall man, dressed in black, stopped them. "Who are these people, Captain?"

The officer went to one knee and kissed the man's ring. "Heretics, Your Grace. A Cherokee and his four whores. We'll try them tomorrow and then burn them."

After a second, Castle realized that they were in the presence of Archbishop William Bracken, but not quite the same Bracken that they had known. This one was emaciated and hunched over. His skin was deathly pale and he was sweating, although the day was cool. But his eyes blazed with hatred. He was Bracken, but a deathly ill Bracken.

Suddenly Kathleen broke away and threw herself at Bracken's feet. "Please, Your Grace, I'm not one of them. I'm a good Christian. That one, "she pointed at Rick, "killed my man and took me against my will. They're Satanists and witches. I've seen them call up evil spirits. I can testify against them. Please, you must save me from them." Kathleen threw her arms around Bracken's legs and sobbed.

Bracken stroked her hair. "There, there, child. The Church will protect you." He glared at the remaining four. "To the dungeons with them." He pulled Kathleen to her feet. "Come with me, child."


	14. Chapter 14

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: By, God! I do not own Castle. Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter 14. Into the fire.**

Castle watched in shock as Kathleen walked away from them without so much as a backwards glance, holding on tightly to Bracken's arm. Then the soldiers dragged him and his remaining wives down several flights of stairs and threw them in the dungeon.

Castle had had his heroes thrown into dungeons, or at least cells, before, but the reality was something he wasn't prepared for. The cell they were in was dank and damp. In the corner was a bucket overflowing with urine and feces. The stone floor was covered, just barely in moldering straw that looked like it had been there for years. The only light came from a torch outside of the heavily barred door. He saw a rat scurry across the floor and through the bars of their cell.

"At least were together." Kate said, trying to sound upbeat.

"I wish we were somewhere else." Kaye said.

"I'm sorry." Rick said. "This is all my fault."

Kate, Kaitlin and Kaye all rolled their eyes, which cause Rick to smile, slightly. "It's not your fault, Rick. It's Meredith's fault and the fault of her damned society. And it's Bracken's fault. God, he's crazier here than he was on our Earth." Kate said.

"No. I'm the one that just had to fool with that ancient…machine, or whatever it was. I started this whole mess because I couldn't leave well enough alone."

Kate kissed him. "It's not your fault. So quit talking about it and let's see if we can get out of here."

A quick look told them that escape wasn't possible. The walls, ceiling and floors were too thick and the door too strong.

"If we're blaming people," Kaitlin grumped, "we should save some for Kathleen. Some sister she turned out to be. We should tell Bracken she's a witch. At least she'd burn with us."

"I should have known." Kate said. "Like I said, I've dealt with battered women. They're terrified of the powerful men in their lives. They'll do anything to please them for fear of punishment. Kathleen is just acting the way she always has. After all, what have we done but make promises to her? Promised to take her with us, or leave her wealthy if we can't take her with us. And we bought her some clothes and things. But she knows now she'll never be Rick's wife. So she latched onto the most powerful man she could find."

"I still hope she burns in hell someday." Kaitlin said.

They sat together, not talking, for several hours. Then a jailer came by and put out the torches. They were plunged into total darkness.

"I guess we should try to sleep." Rick said. He piled up as much of the straw as he could and lay down with Kate in his arms. Kaitlin snuggled up against his back and Kaye moved as close to close to Kate as she could to conserve heat. Even though surrounded by three beautiful women that he loved, in one way or another, Rick was not the least bit aroused.

Early in the morning a jailer pounded on the bars to their cell. Rick looked out to see a squad of soldiers standing behind the jailer.

"Time for your trial, heretic." The jailer said, sounding all too happy about it.

"We need to use the…bucket." Kaye said. "Or at least I do."

"Go right ahead." One of the soldiers said. One by one the women used the bucket as the soldiers made lewd comments. Rick balled his fists, but knew that fighting was out of the question. He had no idea what he should do though.

As they left the cell, the jailer put manacles on each of them. Then the soldiers led them upstairs to what must have been the courtroom. The Castles and several dozen other prisoners were shoved onto a cold stone floor. On the other side of the courtroom were nearly fifty apprehensive looking people, young and old, rich and poor and in between. Castle wondered out loud what they were there for.

An old man next to him laughed, more of a cackling sound, really. Then whispered to Castle. "The Archbishop does love to be seen to be dispensing justice. A few of them are relatives of those on trial today, hoping to beg for mercy. The rest were passersby dragged in of the streets by the soldiers so there'd be a good audience." A door in the back of the courtroom opened. "Ah! Here comes the Archbishop himself. The fun's about to start."

To Rick's surprise, helping Bracken was Kathleen, now dressed in a shapeless black dress that covered her from neck to her feet. Her hair was pulled back in a sever bun and her face was devoid of makeup. She gently helped Bracken to his seat behind a large wooden desk. Then sat to his side. In the light of day, Bracken looked even sicker than he had the night before.

"I think Bracken is not long for this world." Rick whispered.

The old man smirked. "And neither are you, my friend. I fear the good Archbishop will be here after you've left."

Bracken rapped a gavel and the soldiers called for order. The first defendant was called forward and stood before Bracken.

"Michael Kenny, you've stolen pork worth five crowns. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Your Grace, I was starving. I was hurt when renegades attacked my farm and can't work. They killed my woman and my children. I had nothing."

"You were idle." Bracken sneered. "The Lord helps those who help themselves." Bracken made a notation. "Five hundred lashes. Take him away."

"Five hundred lashes!" Kenny cried. "I'm to be lashed because your so-called soldiers are too gutless to fight the renegades, or anyone else who can fight back! You take our taxes and give us nothing but misery. You may be an Archbishop, but you're no Christian."

Bracken shot to his feet. "You! How dare you say such a thing to me, of all people? I am the representative of Our Lord on Earth." He screamed at the guards. "Hang him! Hang him now!" Bracken staggered and collapsed in his chair.

Kathleen was with him in a second. "His Grace needs his poppy juice. I'll get it." She disappeared through the door and came back in a few seconds with a small glass beaker and some water. "I have your poppy juice, Your Grace." She put a few drops into the water and helped him drink it.

"Thank you, child. You are truly and angel sent from heaven."

Kate and Kaye muttered an alternate place that Kathleen was from, while Kaitlin and Rick just glared at her.

"Next case." Bracken said in a much stronger voice.

A soldier brought another prisoner before Bracken. This one was a young girl, perhaps in her mid-teens. "Sarah Coll, Your Grace." The soldier said. "Missed Mass."

"What do you have to say for yourself, Miss Coll?" Bracken asked.

"Sir, I was watching the ships down by the docks and time just slipped away from me."

The soldier slapped her across the ear. "You will address His Grace properly, girl."

"Your Grace…" Was all she could mumble.

Bracken nodded. "I think that six months in the convent of Saint Ursula would teach you to be prompt. Take her to the sisters."

The girl was dragged out crying.

"Is the convent that bad?" Castle whispered to his elderly friend.

"They'll work the poor girl sixteen hours a day, seven days a week and feed her nothing but thin potato soup. But, it's better than being sentenced to working in the soldiers' barracks. She'd have a company between her thighs by nightfall."

"Olaf Magnusson." Called a soldier. Castle's friend stood up and walked to Bracken's desk.

Bracken sighed. "Olaf Magnusson. You are here once more? Why haven't I hung you long before this?"

"Because you know I'm a good Christian, Your Grace, most of the time. But, as Your Grace knows, there's a devil in strong drink and that devil gets to me. Oh, that the governor would see the error of his ways and ban all liquors from Clontarf. There would be such a rejoicing that the Devil himself would have his evil heart broken." Magnusson then added. "Except for wine, of course. Our Lord Himself drank wine."

Bracken nodded. "There is much worth in what you say, sir. A month working for the Monastery of Saint Anthony will help you, I'm sure."

"Thank you a thousand times, Your Grace. I will pray that the governor will open his ears and his heart to your wise counsel."

The remainder of the prisoners we disposed of quickly and with great severity. Rick and his ladies were the last ones to be tried. Rick had no doubt that their fate was already settled.

"We are fortunate that Miss Kathleen Beckett, a fine Christian woman is here to bear witness to the evil that these four have done." Bracken said. "If you will tell your story, my dear?"

Kathleen nodded and stood up. "I have been a good Christian all of my life. I was engaged to Thomas Demming , a good, hardworking Christian man. That man, "She pointed at Rick, "foully murdered the love of my life and took me prisoner. Then they dragged me to their den of iniquity and stripped me naked." Kathleen began to sob. "I can't tell you what they did to me. It's too shameful."

"No need, my dear." Bracken said, glaring at Rick.

"They took me to a large tub of water and called up a demon, straight from hell. And after that, I could only do as they said. Oh, Your Grace, it was terrible. They murdered an estate agent to steal his gold and a man named Coonan who tried to stop them. Then on the ship coming here, they took control of the crew's minds and took another ship. It was awful what they did to the crew. But as soon as I saw you, Your Grace, the Devil flew right out of me and I was free from their evil spell. I can never thank you enough." Kathleen sank to her knees and continued to sob.

Rick stood up and began to clap. "Now that's the best acting job I've seen in years." A soldier slammed the butt of his carbine into Rick's ribs and he sank to the floor in pain.

"You will be burned at the stake tomorrow at noon." Bracken said coldly. "Take them away."

Once back in their cell, they could find nothing to talk about. They just sat there for hours until it was dark. Then there was a tapping at the bars of their cell. Rick looked up to see Kathleen standing there.

"Come to gloat at us?" He asked bitterly.


	15. Chapter 15

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada, yada, don't own Castle. Yada, yada, yada. Rating: M Time: In the not so distant future.

**Chapter fifteen. And into the frying pan. **

Kathleen smiled and held up a key ring, "Gloat? Of course not. I came to rescue my family." Kathleen proceeded to open the cell door.

"Wait! You mean that was all an act?" Rick said, now feeling really, really stupid.

Kathleen nodded happily. "It was pretty obvious when we were grabbed that you four weren't going to do anything but stand there with your mouths open. Someone had to do something. I waited for my chance and there it was in the form of the Archbishop." Kathleen threw them some of their clothes. "Now get dressed in your pants, ladies. We have some riding to do." She turned around. "And can you undo my buttons in back, Rick?"

"Kathleen, I realize that I owe you…We all owe you…It's not that…I mean…"

Kathleen gave him a look over her shoulder. "Rick, I have pants and a shirt on under this so I can ride, too. The buttons, please?"

Rick worked on her buttons. "But the Archbishop? How did you…? What did you..?"

She shook her head. "When you've had as many men look at me as I have, you know lust when you see it. And I was right. I wasn't with the randy old goat for ten minutes before he had my top off and his hands under my skirt." Kathleen looked away from Rick. "Rick, I'm very much afraid that I had to allow him to take some liberties with me. The sort of liberties that you would not approve of, but…"

Rick put his arms around her as her dress dropped to the cell floor. "Kathleen, you are a remarkable and unbelievably brave woman and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Anything a man forces you to do is not your fault. You're family now and you'll always be family."

Kathleen blushed and looked at Rick with longing in her eyes.

"Castle, go ahead and kiss her." Kate said. "If you don't, I will."

Castle did kiss Kathleen, but both of them were careful to keep their mouths closed.

"How long before Bracken misses you?" Kaitlin asked.

"A very long time." Kathleen said coldly. "He was addicted to the juice of the opium poppy. It helped with his pain. I gave him a dose large enough to put him to sleep, then I poured about a pint into him. When he wakes up, he'll be explaining himself to the Devil."

By this time, the ladies had changed clothes. Kathleen handed Rick and Kate a pistol apiece. "We don't want to be seen carrying weapons openly here the Archbishop's palace, so keep these hidden. But, if luck is with us, we'll see no one."

"Where are we going?" Kaye asked, as Kathleen led them down a long underground passageway, with many turns and cross corridors.

"The stables. This place is filled with secret passages. Including one that Bracken likes to take his lady loves to for some privacy. It wouldn't do for anyone to see the oh-so-holy Archbishop between a woman's thighs. I have horses saddled and ready. I was able to get horses used by his personal guard. Fine horses they are, saddled, complete with repeating carbines, water, forage for the horses and food. I was able to get our weapons, but not the rest of our clothing. I couldn't get our money either, but I think I did well with what I did get."

Kathleen stopped at a narrow doorway set into an alcove. She found the right key and opened it. "Not far now."

They followed her and soon smelled the unmistakable smell of a stable. "What's that?" Kaye asked.

"Mostly horse poop." Castle suddenly thought of something. "Can anyone here ride?"

"I can." Kathleen said.

"I can ride a Harley." Kate said. "I should be able to manage a horse."

"Me too." Added Kaitlin. "I have a Harley, too."

"I've ridden a merry-go-round." Kaye said. "Can you ride, Castle?"

"Alexis wanted to learn, so I went with her. I'm pretty sure I can still ride, although it's been a while."

Kathleen opened a final door and they found themselves in a small stable. "Over here."

"Eight horses?" Castle asked. "Why so many?"

"Five for us and three as pack animals. If we're going to make a run for the Cherokee Confederacy, we can't be stopping for food for ourselves or the horses. We have to keep moving. Once they find the Archbishop dead and us gone, they'll come looking for us."

Castle found that their weapons, in addition to the guards' carbines and pistols, were there as well as the supplies they'd need. "Did you get any money?"

"Look at the bags tied to the front of your saddles."

Castle checked and found a bag of gold twice the size of what they'd had. A quick check revealed that the other four had similar sized bags of gold coins. Kathleen handed him another bag, a lighter one. "Open it." She said.

Inside were jewels: Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and more. "We can buy all of Clontarf with these."

Kathleen laughed and tapped her stomach, causing a metallic clinking. "And I got the old goat's money belt off of him as well."

"We'd better run for it." Kaye said, managing to mount her horse.

"No!" Kathleen said sharply. "We can't look like a man and four women running out of town. Rick, go first with Kaye as she's never ridden and take one pack horse. Then after a minute or so, Kate and Kaitlin will go with another pack horse. Then me and the last horse. Go right when we leave the stables and we'll be headed south out of town. And go slowly. Don't attract attention." Kathleen smiled. "One thing about Tom, I did learn how to sneak out of town from him."

Castle was unhappy about not being with Kate, or the rest of the women, for that matter. But, what Kathleen said made sense. In the dark, and with the women in pants, they'd just be more anonymous riders going about their business. Rick grabbed the reins of the pack horse and turned to Kaye. "Ready?"

"No, but I probably never will be. Let's go."

The rode out of the stables and turned right. They slowly rode through the nearly empty streets. There were no street lights and few people about. Castle didn't even see any police on patrol. He turned in his saddle and relaxed slightly as he saw two more women leaving the stables. Then, the last rider left the stables. He breathed a sigh of relief.

They rode through the town and slowly the houses and stores thinned out and more open space was seen. They crossed a bridge that marked the official city limits of Clontarf City. Castle smiled as he saw a guard happily snoring in a sentry box at the far end of the bridge.

Castle and Kaye pulled up on the crest of a small hill a half a mile or so past the bridge. Castle looked at the riders behind him and looked very carefully at the city. He could see no signs of pursuit, nor did there seem to be many lights in the Archbishop's Palace. "So far, I don't think anyone's missed us, or found Bracken."

Kate and Kaitlin rode up. "Should we wait for Kathleen, or continue to ride apart?" Kate asked.

"In the dark, I think we can chance staying together. But we'll ask her when she catches up."

When all five were together, Kathleen agreed they could stay together. "But we have no spare horses, and we can't trade these. Military horses are too easy to identify. We have enough money to buy more horses, but we'll have to let these go."

"Sounds good to me." Castle said. The three women nodded as well.

They alternated riding and walking the horses for the rest of the night and into the morning. About noon they came to a small inn that was off the road a bit. "Lunch?" Kaye asked.

Rick and the other three women shook their heads. "No." They said in unison, then laughed.

"Military horses are too easily recognized in daylight, but the horses are getting tired. And by now, they know Bracken's dead and that we're gone." Kathleen said. "We should get off the road." She stood up in the saddle. "The woods thicken up ahead. We'll ride deep into the forest, cover the horses' tracks, eat and get some sleep."

After lunch deep in the woods, the five laid down together. The weather was cooling and once again Rick found himself snuggling with four beautiful women, but he was only interested in the Kate in his arms.

When they had slept and had dinner, Kate and Kathleen went off to look around. They came back in ten minutes smiling. "We found a trail. It's narrow and somewhat overgrown." Kate began.

"But," Kathleen continued, "I found fresh horse droppings. Someone has used the trail recently."

"Kathleen thinks we can follow the trail at night. It looks like it goes more or less south east."

"Towards Cherokee country." Castle smiled.

They had to ride slowly through the woods, but they managed to stay on the trail and saw no one, at least until late morning.

"Good morning to you." Said a friendly voice. They turned and saw the speaker was an older man with a long white beard, flanked by two younger men. Castle guessed that they were his sons from the family resemblance. He didn't have to guess that they were all armed, that was obvious.

"Nice cavalry horses." The old man said, conversationally. "But you ain't the cavalry, I reckon."

Castle nodded. "We could use eight fresh horses."

The old man stepped closer and examined the horses. Castle watched him while the women kept an eye on his sons. Finally, the old man spoke. "Fine horses, but real hard to sell, what with the Archbishop's guard's brand and all. Plus the military saddles and other gear. Couldn't trade you straight up for them. Need something more."

Castle smiled. "Gold?"

The man smiled back. "Gold is good. Say, two hundred crowns?"

"Two hundred?" Kathleen spat. "I could buy a dozen good horses for that and fine tack as well."

"Not out here in these woods, you can't." The old man said reasonably. His sons grinned.

"He has a point." Kate said.

Castle nodded slowly. "I think we can come up with two hundred crowns. But we'll need saddles, saddle blankets, bridles, the whole thing."

"Cost you an extra fifty."

"Fifty? You meant five, right?"

They settled at two hundred and twenty crowns and the old man led them to a large clearing in the forest. A surprisingly sturdy cabin was there as well as two large corrals.

"Pick any eight horses you want." The man said. "I'll get you your gear. I'll even throw in a bit of lunch."

They left an hour later with fresh mounts, full stomachs and an idea of the lay of the land ahead of them.

"Damn!" Kate said after a few miles. "The old man was right. This trail leads into a swamp. We'll have to head back to the road we were on. And that's too damned well traveled for my taste."

"Anyone have a better idea?" Rick asked. No one did.

They came upon the main road they'd left Clontarf City by soon after. When they reached a hill, Rick stopped and looked back the way they'd come.

"Uh oh. There's a dust cloud behind us."

Kathleen pulled a pair of binoculars from her saddle bag. "Horsemen, moving fast. That's all I can tell."

Rick looked ahead of them. "Nothing but mostly open country ahead, except for the forest in the distance. Maybe it's not anyone looking for us."

All four women gave him a look he was very familiar with. "Okay, they are after us."

"And too damned close." Kathleen added.

Castle frowned and nodded. "Too damned close."


	16. Chapter 16

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: This far into the story, do you think I'll start claiming to own Castle? Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter sixteen. A Language Lesson.**

The five riders continued along the road through mostly open country. They alternated riding at a slow trot with walking the horses, to keep their mounts as fresh as possible.

Castle kept looking back over his shoulder.

"They're getting closer." Kate said. "You don't have to keep looking back every thirty seconds."

Kathleen took off her hat and studied the position of the sun, then stood in her stirrups to look at the country ahead of them. "There's more forest ahead of us and it'll be dark in another hour. Those riders are moving slower now. I'll bet they rode their horses too hard and now they're winded. When we get deep enough into the forest, we'll leave the road and get some rest. If we can, we'll cut through the forest. The old man said it was passable."

When the sun was well down, they led their horses off of the road and well into the forest. Kathleen and Kaye made sure that the horses' tracks were erased until they were well into the woods.

After unsaddling the horses and hobbling them, Castle spotted a tall tree not too far away. "I'm going to climb it and see if I can see any campfires that our pursuers have."

"I'll go with you." Kathleen said, picking up a carbine.

"Kate and I'll make some dinner." Kaye said. "But since we can't risk a fire…"

Castle and Kathleen pushed their way through the underbrush until they got to the tree. Rick felt Kathleen put her hand on his shoulder. "Rick, I know I'll never mean to you what Kate means, but I do care for you. I care for you a lot."

He turned to face her. "I care for you a lot, too. You're family. Always remember that."

She nodded and leaned forward just a bit.

"I need to climb the tree." Rick said quickly. He turned and worked his way up, branch by branch.

"Shit!" He muttered when he had gotten as far up as he dared.

"What is it?"

"There's a big fire back the way we came. A lot bigger than just a campfire. I think it might be our friendly, local horse dealers' place being burned. If the soldiers are there, they probably know where we went and they know our horses. The old man and his sons wouldn't have any reason to cover for us. They'd sing like birds."

He could hear Kathleen climbing the tree. Once she'd joined him, he put an arm around her to keep her steady. She pulled out her binoculars. "Rick, you're right. I'm positive that's where we traded the horses. And look over there." Kathleen pointed off to the west. There were two sets of campfires in the distance. "One group of soldiers is after us, and at least another two are blocking our route to the Cherokee lands."

"What can we do?"

Kathleen shook her head. "Not much. There were fifty or more horses back in the corrals. That means that the soldiers behind us will have mostly fresh mounts tomorrow when they resume the chase. We need to tell the others."

Rick and Kathleen told the others. No one was at all happy.

"There are too damned many of them." Kate said angrily.

"I'm not about to get burned at the stake." Kaitlin said. Everyone else nodded.

They decided to sleep for four hours and then be on their way. Before they left, Castle climbed the tree again. This time he smiled. He hurried down the tree and headed for the ladies. "Good news, I hope. I can see the same campfires to our west and another set of campfires where the horse traders were. We've got a head start on them, I hope.

And for a while, they did. Every time they came to a rise, Castle would look back and see only a distant cloud of dust. But by late morning the dust cloud was getting closer.

Kathleen reined in and put her binoculars to her eyes. "They're catching up. It's not just a cloud of dust now. I caught sight of two guidons. That's two cavalry troops, maybe seventy five or eighty troopers all together.

By noon when they stopped again to water the horses, the cavalry was no closer to them. Kathleen stared at the distant horsemen and then cursed. "Damn them. They're herding us. Keeping us on the road while their friends close in from the west. I'll bet there are some more cavalry to the east of us."

"Why?" Kate and Rick asked together. They both smiled and Kate went on. "With eighty people they could kill us easily."

"I think they want us alive." Kathleen cursed again. "With two hundred troopers, and at night, they can rush us, take some casualties and still get us alive."

"We could split up." Castle suggested.

Kate shook her head. "I'm not leaving you. Ever."

"I'm not leaving my family." Kathleen said forcefully.

"Me either." Kaitlin said, running her hand over the butt of her pistol. "And I'm not going to burn to death."

"That makes it unanimous." Kaye said. "We all go together."

An hour later they rode into a large clearing. They had gone perhaps fifty feet into the clearing when Castle noticed them. "Oh, fuck." He pointed to the west. There in the tree line were a good hundred horsemen and several hundred foot, not a quarter mile away.

"Soldiers?" He asked, seeing their weapons.

Kathleen shook her head. "Renegades." She whipped out the binoculars and checked the men watching them. Faces of varying colors but all carrying war paint looked back at her. She didn't like the looks they were getting. "Natives, mostly Creeks, probably, but maybe a few wild Cherokees. Some escaped Moorish slaves and renegade Europeans. Keep riding."

As they rode through the clearing, the renegades faded back into the trees until they were lost to view.

"What?" Castle said, confused. "They can't be afraid of us. Not that many."

"No." Kathleen replied. "They're not afraid of us. They're waiting for the troopers coming after us. They don't want to spring their ambush for a handful of people." She caught sight of movement in the trees. "But they're sending a small party after us to make sure we don't alert the soldiers. If we get far enough ahead of the cavalry so they won't hear gunshots, those renegades will try to kill us."

They decided they push their horses as fast and as far as they could, and hope that they could fight off any renegades that caught up with them. None of them had any great hopes that that would happen.

In another hour, the horses were starting to fade. They couldn't manage more than a fast walk, and one packhorse was starting to limp. They looked back and saw twenty or more renegades on horseback not three hundred yards away. Suddenly, the horsemen kicked their horses into a fast trot.

"Try to get to the woods ahead of us. We'll have to make our stand there."

All five spurred their horses cruelly, making them run as fast as they could. But, as they reached the woods, they saw something ahead of them.

"My god! It's a fort." Rick yelled to the others.

Not three hundred yards ahead of them was wooden stockade, from which flew the green flag of Ireland.

"Make a run for it." Kathleen screamed, spurring her horse into not more than a trot.

Kate turned and fired at their pursuers. One man reeled in the saddle and stopped his horse, leaning over its neck. Rick also turned and fired. This time a horse went down.

"Really? You shot the horse?" Kate teased.

"It's a bigger target."

They turned and headed for the fort, but none of the horses was moving any faster than a walk.

"We should get off and make a run for it." Kaitlin yelled.

"No!" Both Kathleen and Kate replied. "All of our spare ammo is on the horses. And food." Kate explained. "And we're going to need it."

The renegades following them had dismounted, and sheltering behind their horses, opened fire with their rifles. But, a ragged volley from the fort drove them off. The gates to the fort opened and the five riders dismounted, practically dragging the horses into the fort.

"Welcome to Poplar." Said a tall, grey haired man. "We can use all of the help we can get. I hope all of you ladies can shoot as well as your…."The man noticed four identical women. "Your sister?"

"They're sisters. Identical quadruplets. And they're my wives. I'm Rick Castle, a Cherokee citizen. These are Kate, Kaitlin, Kaye and Kathleen." Each woman nodded as she was introduced.

"How do you tell them apart?"

Castle smiled. "What do you mean? It's easy to tell them apart."

"I'll take your word for it. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Father Francis de Councy, parish priest for Poplar. And don't be worrying about your…unusual marriage arrangements. This far out of Clontarf City and this close to the Cherokees, we're pretty liberal." Father de Councy held out his hand and Rick shook the hand of the man he knew in his own world as both Jackson Hunt and Anderson Cross.

Rick shook his hand slowly, not letting it go. _He can't be my father here, because there is no me here. Or is there? Was there? This is weird. I wonder if Dad's real name is Francis de Councy?_

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Castle. " The priest asked.

Rick shook himself. "No. Just a reaction to the close shave we just had. I'm fine."

As they stood there looking at each other, there was suddenly gunfire in the distance. A lot of gunfire.

"We were being followed by some soldiers. We rode past the renegades in the clearing just before your fort. They were obviously waiting for the soldiers and let us pass." Kathleen said.

The gunfire reached a crescendo and then stopped. A half an hour later there was more gunfire, and then none.

"We should go take a look." Kaitlin said, climbing to the fire step on top of the fort's palisade, she was quickly followed by the others.

They joined a dozen or more local settlers, all looking anxiously across the open space around the fort. "If they killed all of the soldiers, they have repeating carbines and ammo now." A slender young man said. "Any idea how many renegades or soldiers there were, sir?"

Kathleen answered. "I think there were about eighty soldiers right behind us, and some more to the west. Two groups, probably two troops or so from the size of the campfires we saw. We saw at least a hundred mounted renegades and a couple of hundred on foot and maybe more in the trees. All armed, but I couldn't tell what kind of weapons. Rifles of some kind."

The air was split by war whoops and a mounted band rode out of the woods and stopped outside of rifle range. The riders screamed and waved something over their heads.

"Scalps." Said an older woman. "They're letting us know we're next."

"Do you know what poplar is in Spanish?" Rick asked softly.

"I imagine Spanish is a dead language on this world. "Kate replied. But she and the other women paid attention.

"The word is alamo. We may be in the Alamo."


	17. Chapter 17

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Yet more Castle that I don't own. Rating K Time: The very near future.

**Chapter seventeen. The redhead. **

The renegades rode back and forth, just out of rifle range, waving their grisly trophies. Over the din of the screaming, Castle could occasionally hear voices in English screaming threats.

"I don't think any of the women are going to want to survive if they take the fort." Kathleen said softly.

"I don't think any of us will enjoy being alive if they break in." Castle said.

"They're forming up." Someone yelled.

Castle looked beyond the riders to the woods beyond. The renegades' foot soldiers were coming out onto the clearing surrounding the fort. He could hear de Councy shouting orders as he ran around the fort.

"How many people do we have?" Kaitlin asked a skinny young man next to them.

"Counting everyone, young and old, that can shoot, a bit more than three hundred. We have a few more breech loading rifles than muzzle loaders, plenty of ammunition and best of all, we have food. They don't."

"They don't?" Kaye asked. "Why?"

The man laughed. "They're fighters. No grubbing in the earth for them. They take what they need from the likes of us, if they can. But we had an early harvest. If they can't take us in a couple of days, they'll start getting hungry. They'll look elsewhere then."

"Will the Clontarf army come to help?" Rick asked.

The man spat. "Those useless bastards? They'll raid a farm to collect their so called taxes, but get into a stand up fight? You're dreaming."

A young redheaded girl, no more than twelve, Rick thought, looked around the young man. "Why were soldiers following you? The Archbishop's bastards don't leave their nice warm barracks if the renegades are about. Why were the whoresons following you?"

"Brigid O'Connor!" Said the young man, clearly shocked. "You will not use that kind of language. You're a lady!"

"Ma calls them bastards and Pa and Uncle Gerald calls them whoresons. I shan't let you lecture me, Patrick!"

The two continued to argue, forgetting all about the question Brigid had asked and which Castle would prefer not to answer.

Father de Councy walked around the firing step, encouraging the defenders. He stopped when he got to the Castles. "They're going to try to rush us. Don't shoot until you can't miss. And don't stick your head up over the wall. Fire through the slits cut unto the wall. Don't worry about any that get to close to the wall where you can't see them. There are firing slits in the wall at ground level as well."

"Father, they're starting to come this way." Patrick O'Connor said.

Castle looked through the firing slit. The renegades on foot were slowly trotting towards them. The men on horseback were sitting on their horses out of range. "Just infantry?" He asked.

The father nodded. "Can't hit anything from on top of a horse. Besides, their horsemen think they're the lords of creation. Too good to attack a bunch of farmers."

At about two hundred yards, they broke into a run and began screaming.

"Mark your targets and….open fire!" De Councy screamed the last two words.

Castle squeezed off a round and felt the rifle slam into his shoulder. While ejecting the spent cartridge and reloading, he peeked at the renegades. There were hundreds of them and they were too damned near the fort. He saw a group together and fired, hoping to hit more than one.

He saw a flash of red hair to his side and saw Brigid O'Connor fly backwards and almost off the firing step. "Are you okay?" He screamed.

The girl looked up at him. "Just Grandpa's old musket. It has a real kick." Then she glared at him. "Keep shooting, will you?"

He reloaded and fired again, checking the three women to his other side as he did. So far, they were all okay. As he swung his rifle back to the mob below, he spotted a tall white man, his face covered with war paint firing up at him with a repeating rifle. Rick shot just as the man moved and a man next to him slammed to the ground, a bullet in his head. The renegade white looked up at Rick and smiled, carefully aiming right at him. Rick was still thinking about whether to duck or not when Kate put a round in the man's arm, causing him to spin away. Rick cursed as the man fell just as Rick fired again, dropping a man behind him. Kathleen put a round into the white renegade's chest. He sank the ground, bleeding.

Then the renegades were running. Headed away from the fort as fast as they could run.

"We beat them!" Castle screamed. "Look at them run. We did it!" He hugged Kate and then kissed her.

A bony, lean older man, dressed in buckskin pushed them aside and shot a renegade trying to crawl away. "We didn't do shit, youngster. That was just to get an idea of what we have. They've seen how many we are, how many guns we have and how well we fight." He pointed to a group of horsemen, well out of rifle range. "Those are the chiefs. Sitting there, looking us over. They're deciding how to hit us." He looked at the sun, which was low on the horizon. "Too late for an attack today. They'll keep us awake tonight and attack in strength tomorrow." He walked off.

"Is that right?" Castle asked Patrick O'Connor.

The young man nodded. "Probably. Old Barney has lived among the natives all of his life. Been all over this continent, so they say. He says he's been all the way to Tenochtitlan in the far south." Patrick lowered his voice. "Truth to tell, Old Barney's probably been on the other side in some raids like this. But it's good that he's here with us. He knows what's what and he sure as hell knows how to fight."

Kate leaned past Rick. "Is your sister okay? She keeps rubbing her shoulder."

"It's nothing, ma'am." Brigid said. "It's just that Grandpa's old musket kicks like a mule when I fire it."

"I might be able to help." Kaye spoke up. "I have a salve in my saddle bags that I've been using on my butt. I'm not used to riding and slamming down onto the saddle hurts. The salve helps."

Brigid started to unbutton her top.

"Brigid!" Kaye said. "We should do this in private. Come along. I'll get the salve for you."

As Kaye and Brigid climbed down from the fire step, Rick took his first good look at the fort. The wooden walls enclosed an area of a couple of acres and there were rectangular blockhouses at each corner. Rick noted the largest building was what he thought must be the church, due to the cross atop it. The other buildings were simple lean-tos built against the walls. The fort itself was jammed with wagons and carts as well as farm animals. Rick saw cattle, pigs, goats, and chickens and other fowls, as well as dozens of dogs. Horses, mules and a pair of oxen completed the menagerie. Looking at the people jammed into the fort, he could well believe there were more than three hundred here.

Rick saw Brigid leading Kaye to a small covered wagon. Several young girls followed them into the wagon. A few minutes later, Kaye came back and climbed up on the fire step alone. Brigid stayed with her friends, occasionally looking up at Rick and the ladies.

"I'm afraid I've added to the legend of Rick Castle." Kaye said.

"The legend?" Kate said with a smile. "What legend?"

"Brigid is a bit older than she looks. She's fourteen and just starting to notice boys. And they're just starting to notice her. She has some idea about how babies are made and so on, and she's very curious about how one man can…satisfy four women."

"What did you tell her?" Rick asked, slightly shocked.

"I couldn't tell her the truth, that we're from alternate Earths and not married, or even…in a relationship."

Suddenly Kaitlin blushed furiously, "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Kate, remembering what had happened in the tub in the hotel, frowned. Then she looked at Kaitlin. "I said I was all right with that. We didn't want to break our cover. But let's not talk about this ever again."

Kaitlin nodded.

Kaye went on. "I had to tell her that Rick…Had the stamina of a bull and then some. All of Brigid's girlfriends were there and they all had questions. I had to answer them. I had to say something."

"So Castle is the stud of the Cherokee nation now?" Kate asked, smiling.

"Of course." Castle said proudly.

"Just remember you have a wife as well as a fan club." Kate said, pointing to a group of teenaged girls who had gathered around Brigid, occasionally looking up at the Castles.

Father de Councy was moving along the fire step, talking to his flock. He stopped when he got to the Castles. "You should go have some dinner now. The women folk are cooking something for everyone, but if you have anything to add, it'll be more than welcome."

Kate nodded. "We have some canned food we'll be happy to donate."

De Councy smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Castle. But get back here soon. It's not at all likely that they'll rush us, but they'll snipe at anything that moves and their young braves will be coming for what's outside these walls."

"The bodies of their friends?" Castle asked.

"No. Weapons and ammunition." The father gave Rick an odd look.

De Councy took a long look at Rick and his wives. "You were being chased by soldiers. None of the Archbishop's troops would normally get this far from Clontarf City during raiding season. Why were they after you?"

Kate spoke up. "The Archbishop doesn't approve of Cherokee marriage practices. We ran into him, unfortunately, and he decided he had to make an example of us."

"An example how?" The priest asked.

"We didn't stay around long enough to find out. But we accidentally knocked him down in public. I imagine he took it personally."

"I imagine he would." De Councy stared at them. "I have no means of communicating with the authorities in Clontarf City with the renegades outside. And once they're gone, who knows how long it'll be before I can get a letter off to the Archbishop. Days, perhaps. Even weeks. Long enough for someone to get to the Cherokees, perhaps."

The Castles said no more, just nodded and then went to get some food. However, when they sat down to eat by the fort's wall, groups of giggling teenaged girls would walk by, then turn and run away. After the same girls started walking by slowly for a second or third time, Castle's wives began sharpening their knives while glaring at the girls. The parade of teenaged girls soon stopped.

Each of the Castles took a turn on watch on the fire step that night. As Old Barney had been right, the whole night was broken by scattered gunshots that never hit anyone, but kept everyone on edge and awake all night.

On Kate's shift, she found Old Barney standing beside her. She hadn't heard him approach.

"Just relax and stay out of my way, missus. There's one out there trying to get him a rifle. He just needs to get a bit closer." Old Barney stood by the firing slit looking out into what was moonless dark to Kate. Then he raised his rifle, aimed and fired. In the light of the muzzle flash, Kate saw a renegade slam backwards and then scream. The scream ended in a gurgling sound that soon stopped.

Old Barney laughed. "Clumsy. Won't get no more good at sneakin' up on folks, that one." He suddenly turned to Kate. "What Cherokee clan you say you was?"

Kate had no idea how to reply. "I didn't say." Was all she could think of.

Old Barney laughed again. "Knew you wasn't Cherokee. Four beautiful women, all lookin' alike an' married to one man? Everybody over the mountains would have heard about that. You're running from that tee-totaling bastard archbishop, ain't you? Good luck to you, I say. When you get to the Cherokee Confederacy, look up a man called Charlie Grant. White fellow, like you. Married a Cherokee. Old Devil Bracken had one of his sons tarred and feathered just for the hell of it. He'll be glad to help you. Tell him Old Barney sent you."

The old man looked to the east where the sky was getting lighter. "Best get everyone up. Fights gonna start."


	18. Chapter 18

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own zero Castle, or less. Rating: M Time: In the very near future.

**Chapter 18. Click your heels together.**

Father de Councy had everyone up and on the fire step before the sun climbed above the horizon. Kate and Rick were at one firing slit, Kaitlin and Kaye were on one side of them and Kathleen and Brigid O'Connor were on the other side with Patrick O'Connor one firing slit down from his sister. Castle was feeling uncomfortable about the looks that teenaged Brigid was giving him.

Kate noticed. "Castle! You used to sign women's boobs. Do you mean this bothers you?" She whispered.

"Damn right I do. She's younger than Alexis. She shouldn't be…ogling me and thinking about…Stuff.'

Kate laughed. "Castle, if you only had an idea of how much teenaged girls think about "stuff", you'd probably never recover. All sorts of teenaged girls are imagining what you'd be like in bed."

"Way too much information. Way too much."

They were joined by Old Barney who stuck his head above the parapet. "There's movement in the trees just in front of us." The old man turned and bellowed, "Who's got movement?"

A man on the far side of the fort called back. "There's movement in the gully on this side."

Old Barney nodded, then yelled. "They'll probably hit is with most of their people from this side, but they'll send a party from the gully side to split our fires. We need just enough rifles on the gully side to hold 'em off. Jeremiah, can you and your people handle it?"

A bearded man lifted his rifle in the air and headed to the south wall with a party of perhaps fifteen men.

Barney nodded. "Every second shooter on the east and west walls come over to this wall. Thomas, keep your people in the middle as our reserve."

Castle looked out of the firing slit. He could see very little movement. "Are they out there?" He asked.

The old man spat. "What do you think?"

As Barney spoke, Castle saw renegades on foot pouring out of the woods. "What are they carrying?"

Old Barney shook his head. "Mostly them's ladders to climb our walls. The big log with all the renegades about is to batter down our gate. You got your weapons all set?"

Castle glanced at his weapons and those of his wives. They'd use the rifles first, because of their longer range, then switch over to the repeating carbines they'd taken when they'd stolen their horses back in Clontarf City. For real close range work, they'd use their pistols.

"Okay." Barney said. "Riflemen can start. They're in range."

Kate took her shot and saw a man running with a ladder stumble and fall, taking other men helping him with the ladder down with him.

Barney laughed. "Riflewomen can fire, too."

Rick began picking his targets and squeezing off shots as the rest of the people around him did the same. He couldn't see that any of his targets were falling, what with everything going on around him, but shooting at people bunched around ladders, he was sure he hit something. Someone.

When the renegades were a hundred yards or so away, Kate yelled for everyone to use their carbines. At this range, they could hardly miss the mass of renegades milling around the ladders below them. Castle worked the action of his carbine and fired round after round. Castle's whole world shrank to his carbine and his sight picture.

Then a wooden ladder was thrown up in front of his firing slit. "Kate! Shoot them as they come up the ladder." Kate nodded while reloading her carbine. He saw a hand grasp a rung at his eye level and when the head rose even with the firing slit, he shot a painted face. By the time he worked the action of his carbine, another painted face with long, with scraggly blond hair, screaming with fury was framed by the firing slit. By the time the renegade moved another step up the ladder, Castle found he had shot into a pair of female breasts. The woman fell to the ground. He cursed and worked the action again.

He heard a _thunk_ and from the corner of his eye he saw Kathleen stumble backwards and land on her butt. "Kathleen!" He screamed, moving to check her. He could see a hole in her shirt, surrounded by powder burns. He watched as she pulled her shirt open. She laughed. "I told you I stole the old goat's money belt." She held up a flattened slug. "I'll have a sore belly and some bent coins, but…."

"Castle behind you!" Brigid screamed.

Castle whirled, seeing a renegade pulling himself over the top of the fort's wall. Castle pulled his pistol and fired two rounds into the man's chest before he realized that he had just shot Javier Esposito. The light in his eyes faded and he pitched back over the wall.

Two more renegades were coming over the wall in front of Brigid and Patrick. Castle shot at the nearest one. A line of red blood appeared along his arm. He turned to Castle and raised his rifle. Castle shot first. This one hit the man's chest dead center. Patrick pushed Brigid out of the way and advanced on the other renegade. The renegade smiled, raised his carbine, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Empty. Castle fired just as the renegade swung his empty weapon at Patrick. The carbine's stock bounced off of the young man's head and he dropped to the fire step and rolled over to fall to ground below. The renegade fell with him.

"Patrick!" Brigid screamed. Looking down, Castle could see two older women dragging Patrick away. Whether he was dead or alive, Castle couldn't say. One of the women slit the renegade's throat to be sure.

"Castle!" Kate screamed. "Don't just stand there, shoot!"

Castle shook himself. Brigid had already picked up her brother's rifle and fired into the milling mass below them. Castle reloaded his pistol, then his carbine and fired as well. He had noticed that while tears were rolling down Brigid's cheeks, it didn't affect her shooting.

Castle heard a deep bass thumping. That was the battering ram beating on the fort's gate. He swung as far to one side as he could, but couldn't see any of the men using the battering ram. They were too close to the wall.

"Castle! Keep shooting!" Kate yelled.

"Look! Behind us." That was Brigid. A dozen or more renegades were climbing over the far wall. But, he could see twenty or more Irishmen rushing from the center of the fort to the far wall. "Keep shooting Brigid. Just check behind you every once in a while." Castle fired into a face at the firing slit.

Castle kept firing into the crowd below them and the renegades were firing back. One bullet came so close to Rick that he felt the air it displaced on his cheek.

Suddenly, it was over. "They're running!" Kate yelled.

"Keep shooting!" Brigid shouted, firing into the retreating mob.

Castle took one last shot, then turned to see Brigid sobbing in the arms of Kathleen.

"Kathleen, take Brigid and find her brother. If there's anything he needs, anything a doctor needs, tell them we'll do anything we can."

Kathleen nodded and helped the sobbing teenager own of the fire step to find Patrick.

"Mr. Castle?"

He turned around. "Yes, Father de Councy?"

"Old Barney is taking a party outside. Are both of your pistols loaded?"

"Outside? With all the renegades still around? Is that such a good idea?"

"Just right outside the fort, Mr. Castle. We have weapons and ammunition, but there's more on the dead bodies out there. Old Barney thinks the renegades will leave once they get hungry, but we can't be sure. We need everything we can lay our hands on."

"Makes sense, I guess." Castle admitted.

"We're coming with him." Kate said. Kaitlin and Kate nodded in agreement.

Father de Councy looked concerned. "I'm not sure how Old Barney will react to women going out."

"He won't mind." Kate said, walking past the priest, followed by Rick, Kaitlin and Kaye.

Indeed, Old Barney didn't say a word when the Castles arrived at the fort's gate. He did smile, however. "Be careful out there. There probably ain't any of them shamming bein' shot, but some's still alive and they'd love to take someone along with 'em to hell. Go for repeaters and ammo first. We got another bunch gonna haul the battering ram inside so they gotta drag another one up if they wants to beat the gate down. Now, git!"

The fort's gate opened enough for them the group of maybe twenty people to go out to collect the weapons. More went out to get the battering ram.

Castle began examining the corpses and soon found a repeating carbine, probably taken recently. A wheezing noise caused him to jump away from the so called corpse. The man's eyes opened and he looked at Castle.

"You okay, lover?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, it's just that this one…" There was a gurgling sound and when Castle looked down again, the man was dead. "This one is dead." He finished.

Castle saw another man strip a rifle from someone with blond hair, but he couldn't tell if it was the blonde he shot. He was just as happy to not find out. Then there was a muffled exclamation from Kaitlin.

"Oh my god! It's Espo."

Castle and the two other women walked over to Kaitlin. Seen up close, Castle knew it really was Espo he had killed. "I shot him." He mumbled. "I also shot a woman."

"It's not our Espo." Kaye said. "He would have killed any one of us."

"How did he end up like this?" Kaye asked. "He was one of Rick's friends and co-workers. He was a good cop."

"There are an infinite number of Earths out there. We Kate Becketts are pretty much alike as are our Ricks." Kate said. "Even Kathleen is a lot like us. But there have to be other, different Kates somewhere."

"You mean that there is a Kate Beckett, Super Villain, out there someplace?" Castle asked.

"A remarkable super villain." Kate confirmed. Both Kaitlin and Kaye nodded in agreement.

"What an idea for a book." Rick said softly.

"You find something important over there?" Old Barney yelled at them, coming over.

The Castles backed off. "No. We're just gathering the weapons." Castle noticed that Barney was carrying what looked like bloody rags in one hand.

Barney noticed him looking. "Did you take any scalps?" He waved the scalps at the Castles.

Castle just shook his head.

"Well, we should get back in another ten minutes or so. The renegades are starting to put their noses out of the woods again."

They grabbed all the weapons and ammo they could carry and then headed back into the fort. They waited all the rest of the day and into the night, but by the next morning there had been no new attack. Father de Councy sent a mounted patrol out to scout around.

After an hour they came back. The leader of the patrol told everyone what they'd found. "We rode all the way to Whisky Creek and saw no renegades, but plenty of sign. They're heading south. Back to where they came from."

The people cheered at the news, but Father de Councy quieted them down. "Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. We have enough food so we can stay a while longer, make sure they're not going to come back."

After another day, people slowly started to leave the fort, leaving the Castles behind. Rick and his wives found a spot in a lean to and tried to figure out what to do next.

"It looks like our only option is the Cherokees." Kate said. "We can't go back to Contarf City. They're probably looking for us by now in Mohawk Town, and if we stay here, the authorities will find us sooner or later. There's only the Cherokees."

"Maybe if we stay there for a while, we can get a ship to Europe when things die down."

"Or you could click your heels together and say, "There's no place like home." Said a voice.


	19. Chapter 19

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: From start to finish, I own no Castle. Rating: M Time: The very near future.

**Chapter 19. And then there was one.**

"Meredith?" Castle said, not really believing what he was seeing. "Is that you? And if it is, which Meredith are you?"

Meredith smiled at Castle's confusion. She bowed slightly to Castle and the Kates. "I'm the Meredith who sentenced you to death and then saved your lives by sending you here. I'm ready to take the four of you back to where you belong."

"Five." Castle said quickly. "We're five now. We have Kathleen Beckett with us now. She goes with us."

Meredith shook her head. "That's not the way things work, Castle. She belongs here and she should stay here."

Castle then shook his head. "No. She belongs with us. She's family."

Meredith shook her head vigorously. "We can't do that. We have to keep the secret of the multiple universes a secret. What if someone finds that there's another Kate Beckett on your Earth? A Kate with the same fingerprints and DNA as your Kate? What happens then? Somebody will figure it out, if Kathleen doesn't tell them."

"Let me worry about that. I'm a millionaire with a vivid imagination. I can come up with a million stories to explain that. I read somewhere that there are billions and billions of possible fingerprints, so statistically, one day were bound to find two people with the same fingerprints."

"And DNA?"

Kate stepped forward. "We're the same. Three Kate Becketts and one Kathleen Beckett. And we _are_ family. Castle and I will take her back to our Earth. We'll make sure nothing happens."

Kaye and Kaitlin stepped forward. "That's the way we feel, too. Kathleen does not stay here. She's not going back to the same life she led before. She's leaving and she needs someone to take care of her."

Meredith glared at the five. "You have no idea what you're asking me to do."

"Is it harder than faking our death and sending us here?" Castle asked.

Meredith pulled out something that looked like a phone. "I have to go outside." She said, unhappily.

As soon as Meredith had gone outside, Kathleen walked over and took Rick's hand. "Rick, it's all right. Just leave me some money and I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me."

"The hell I don't. The hell _we_ don't. You're wanted for murdering Bracken in Clontarf and we're wanted in Mohawk Town for two more killings that we can't explain away. And even if you could explain all of that away, I'm not leaving you behind on a world where some thug like Demming can buy you and use you as a piece of property. You're going with us."

"And how are you going to take me if that Meredith woman won't allow it?"

"I'll make her an offer she can't refuse."

Meredith walked back in. "I talked to my superiors. They've agreed to consider your proposal, but I think they're just being polite to you. I'm sure they'll turn you down."

"You should tell them that there are worse things than having Kathleen go back with us."

"Such as what?" Meredith asked suspiciously.

"There is still one of those golden gizmos on my Earth and on Captain Beckett's Earth. And maybe one on our writer Kate's Earth. Anyway, I'm a very wealthy man. I'm sure if I offered to support an analysis of the…whatever it is, they'd jump at the chance. After all, examining what they think is an old Incan artifact can't attract that much money. And then I can steer the research where I want. Captain Kate's Rick isn't rich, but his mother is, and Rick could still become a best selling author with his Kate's support. And our Kate the writer is rich. Who knows what we might find."

"You wouldn't dare!" Meredith said angrily.

"Try us." Kaye said.

"You could leave us all here, of course. "Rick said. "But who knows what we could do with the local technology. I know that penicillin comes from a penicillium fungi. I know the basics of radio, vacuum tubes, internal combustion engines and a whole lot of other stuff. And I have a lot of local money. Once I'm ever richer and famous, I can look for this world's golden machine. Maybe I won't figure out how to make it work, but someone will."

Meredith turned white. "I'll be back."

It took a half an hour but Meredith came back. "You can take her with you. But we'll be watching you. I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do." Rick said with more enthusiasm than he really felt. "Can you wait just a few minutes? I need to do a few things."

Meredith shrugged and Rick walked outside before she said anything. He found the man he was looking for in short order. "Father de Councy? We'll be leaving soon and I wanted to make a donation to your church."

"That's very generous, Mr. Castle. Every little bit is appreciated."

Castle held out a bag of gold, and de Councy looked into it. "Jesus and Mary! There must be five hundred crowns in here."

"If you need more…" Castle began.

"No. No. This is more than generous, sir. Thank you. Thank you so very much."

Castle left the priest still thanking him and looked for Brigid O'Connor. Oddly enough, he found her in the lean to with the Kates and Meredith.

"I heard you're leaving, Mr. Castle." She said softly.

"Yes, but not before saying good bye to you and thanking you."

"Thanking me? For what?"

"You saved my life the other day. Maybe other people's lives. I have something for you." He handed her another bag of gold.

"There must be a hundred crowns here!" She said, shocked.

"Exactly one hundred." Castle said, smiling.

"But that's enough to by the finest farm in all of Clontarf, with fields, and pigs, chickens, cattle, plow horses and everything. And even a bit left over."

"Just a bit left over?" Castle asked. "A young lady like you will need more than a bit left over." He pulled out another hundred crowns and handed them to her.

"Oh, thank you!" She screamed. She kissed Rick, running her tongue along his lips and pushing her boobs against his chest. Rick pushed her away gently.

"You should go see your family." Rick said.

She looked at the identical women and smiled at them. "Thank you." She turned and ran out of the lean to.

"Can we get going?" Meredith said grumpily.

Since they didn't have far to go, Meredith rode behind Kaye as they rode out of the fort. They found a stand of woods a few miles away and dismounted.

"Well, what do we have here?" Asked a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to Rick. They all turned to face a heavily bearded man with long, lank dark hair. He had a dozen heavily armed friends with him.

"Who are you?" Meredith demanded.

"Who am I?" He and his men laughed. "I'm Willy the Kid Sorenson, that's who I am. And once we're through with you women, your scalps'll make a nice addition to my collection." He gestured to the scalps at his belt.

"Please, Mr. Sorenson, don't take my grandma's brooch." Meredith pulled a brooch from under her blouse.

"You stupid…" Willy the Kid began. Then he and his men collapsed, writhing on the ground. After a few seconds, they began bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose and mouth. After no more than a minute, steam began to rise from their bodies.

Meredith tucked the brooch back under her blouse. "Fools." She muttered.

"You couldn't have given us one of those?" Rick asked.

Meredith ignored the question. "Everyone stand together. Arms around each other." Meredith ordered. There was a flash of blue light and they found themselves on a sandy beach with only a bit of scrub grass for cover. The weather was hot and muggy.

"Where are we?" Rick and Kate asked.

"On an Earth that never developed human life, or much else.' Meredith replied. "Your clothes are over there. I had them made up in the appropriate styles for your return. I made up multiple outfits, so your spare Kate will have something to wear."

Rick changed into a well cut sport coat and slacks. Kaye, the wealthy writer had a classic suit jacket and skirt combination, and Captain Kate had a simple black dress. Kate dressed in skinny jeans, a blue tank top and a brown leather jacket. All four women had four inch heels.

Kathleen, after some consultation, was dressed in one of Kaye's suits. "Do ladies really dress like this where we're going?" Kathleen asked.

"They do." The other women answered in unison.

Kathleen pulled her skirt up, showing off her legs. She nodded to herself. "I could get used to this."

"One thing, Meredith." Rick said, turning to the redhead. "We're all going to be all right when we get back home? We won't wake up again facing disintegration or whatever?"

"No." she answered, giving no more detail.

"And you're sure of this because?" Kate asked.

Meredith glared at the five. "It would take days to explain our planet's politics to you. Suffice it to say that when we discovered the gateways between alternate Earths years ago, we decided to proceed very cautiously. First and foremost, no one should ever know that there were other Earths. Some people have found that over the years, but they have been derided as crackpots back home. As you certainly would be. So, we cherry pick the best of numerous Earths, all legally. For instance, we have multiple programs from Mr. Gates' various companies, not all of which are called Microsoft." Meredith smiled at Rick. "I'm sure you'd be interested to know we have three different Star Wars movie franchises, all by different George Lucas' and all slightly different."

"Could I..?" Rick began.

"No." Meredith said firmly. "But there is a small political faction that would like us to be more…proactive."

"You mean an invasion?" Captain Kate asked.

Meredith shook her head determinedly. "No. Our great powers are more united than yours, and we've managed to keep most of our Earth under control. Accordingly, we lack the large, battle hardened armies we'd face on other Earths, such as yours."

"It sounds like you run a police state." Rick said.

Meredith shrugged. "Maybe it is. But people are secure and prosperous. But enough, are you ready to go home?"

"We're going to have to explain a lot to our loved ones." Captain Kate said.

Kate the writer nodded. "Could you send us all to my world so I can explain things to my Rick Rodgers?"

"And then to mine so I can talk to my Rick?" Captain Kate added.

"Any other requests?" Meredith asked, sarcastically.

They put their arms around each other and after a flash of blue light, found themselves outside of Detective Rick Rodgers apartment. Kaye let them in with her key. The apartment was empty. She checked her watch. "He should be back in an hour or so. We should get comfortable."

"Call me when you want to go." Meredith said, leaving in a flash of blue.

More than an hour later, the door opened and Detective Rick Rodgers walked in. When he saw his Kate, a smile lit his face. "Kate! Honey! Where have you…" Then he saw the others and his hand went to his sidearm. "Who? What?"

His Kate went to him and threw her arms around him, kissing him passionately. "They're friends. Actually they're me. And you."

She carefully explained what had happened to the detective.

When she was done, he shook his head. "That's the craziest story I've ever heard. And if I wasn't sitting here looking at me and you, several yous, while you told me…"

Castle pulled out his phone. "I'm Rick Castle. This is my wife, NYPD detective Kate Beckett, and I want to show you pictures of my daughter, Alexis."

Rodgers cried as he was shown photos of the young woman who would have been his daughter if things had been different.

Castle put his arm around Rodgers. "You're afraid of being with your Kate because of what happened to your Alexis. My Kate is the best thing that ever happened to me. And there's nothing I want more than to give Alexis a brother or sister or more. You two need each other. You complete each other."

They called and Meredith appeared. Before they left, Kate turned to the writer. "Do you have any of the Dick Harder books you wrote based on your Rick?"

"Sure. There are some spare paperback copies here. Why?"

Kate smiled. "Because."

Rick, Kate, Captain Kate, Kathleen and Meredith found themselves in the familiar, yet unfamiliar loft where failed novelist Rick Castle lived. As soon as she saw Rick was at home, Meredith left.

"Kate? I mean, Captain Beckett?" He said, not sure who had come visiting.

The captain walked over to Rick and have him a big, wet, sloppy, passionate kiss.

"Wow!" Rick said, smiling. "What was that for?"

"That was because you two belong together and now she knows it. So you'd better figure it out."

Rick looked at the man who was talking to him, looked again, then at the three women in the room. "Damn! What the hell was I drinking?"

"Too much." Rick said, smiling at his confused self. They proceeded to tell this Rick about their travels.

"So," Rick said, finishing the story, "you're going to find that your Kate here is the best muse you ever had or wanted. You'll write a bunch of best sellers about Captain Nikki Heat who runs an NYPD precinct and is the best homicide detective on the planet. And, just as happened with my Kate when I married her, she'll make you happier than you ever knew you could be."

Rick, Kate and Kathleen hugged Captain Kate and Rick, then left.

The three found themselves back in Rick's loft. No one was there.

Kate put her arm around Kathleen. "Kathleen, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."


	20. Chapter 20

Four of a Kind

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: No Castle is owned here. Rating: M Time: The future.

**Chapter 20. Epilogue.**

"Mr. and Mrs. Castle?" The limo driver asked.

The two nodded. "That we are."

"Welcome to New Orleans. Have you been to Nawlins before?"

"I have been here many times, but my wife has been here only once."

"Business or pleasure?"

"Pleasure. We're meeting a friend here."

"She from Nawlins?"

"She's originally from out of town, but she lives here now."

The driver nodded, but said no more. Arriving at the condominium they had rented for the week, Rick told the driver to return by seven o'clock. "We have a dinner date. It's special."

The driver nodded. "If you're not familiar with Nawlins, I can suggest some places."

Castle shook his head. "Our friend has a place lined up for us. It's supposed to be good."

As the driver left, Castle took their suitcases inside and looked around. "Nice." He said, whistling.

"Nice?" Kate teased. "It's gorgeous. You always take me to the nicest places."

"You deserve the best. And I was wrong. I meant you were nice. I should have said gorgeous."

Kate laughed and kissed him. "Do you want to have some wine before we have to dress for dinner?"

"How about we undress for dinner instead?"

Later, the Castles were dressed just in time for the limo driver to pick them up.

"Where to?" The driver asked.

"Simone's. We'll be eating there tonight."

The driver slapped his forehead. "I can't believe I missed it. You're the author Richard Castle and your wife is the real Nikki Heat." The driver looked at them in the mirror. "Can you tell me something? Is Simone Renoir your sister, Mrs. Castle?"

Kate shook her head. "No, we just look amazingly alike. Alike enough to be sisters." _And due to some very discreet cosmetic surgery she now looks like she might be my sister and not my twin sister. _Kate thought. "We were very surprised when we just ran into her in New York. We're really glad she's made such a success here in Nawlins." _They don't call it the Big Easy for nothing. Nobody asks a lot of questions about who you are or where you come from around here. _

"A success? She's got the best restaurant in the whole city. Probably the whole state. Imagine that."

Simone's was nothing if not discreet. In a city known for being loud, happy and rollicking, Simone's had only a small, well polished brass plate to announce its existence. Rick and Kate stepped into a world of deep pile carpets, dark wood paneling, brass fixtures and very polite wait staff. The maître de met them at the door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Castle. How lovely to see you again." He said with a slight bow.

"It's always good to be in Nawlins, Georges." Rick looked around. "It hasn't changed much since we were here for the grand opening."

Georges smiled. "No. Miss Simone knows what she wants and what she wants is the very best. Now, if you will, she's in her office."

Georges led them down a wide hallway, past a red velvet rope and into a surprisingly Spartan office. Simone Renoir, once known as Kathleen Beckett rose from her desk. She wore a bright red dress that was, as the saying went, tight enough to show she was a woman, and loose enough to show she was a lady. Her hair was now a darker brown than Kate's and shorter. Her legs were every bit as gorgeous as Kate's, as they should be. As was the rest of her.

"Rick!" She said, rushing to his side and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. She turned to Kate and hugged her. "Kate! I am so glad you could come to see me."

Kate pulled back and looked at her. "Is that a slight French accent I hear, Simone?"

Simone nodded. "Mais, oui." Then she laughed. "And why not? Am I not a foreigner?" They all laughed.

"Please, come into my dining room. A meal is the least I can do to thank you for everything."

"We didn't do that much. You brought all of the money from your home in that bag of jewels and your talent did the rest. All we did is give you some advice and a little help."

"A little help? Nonsense! You did far more…" Simone suddenly stopped. "Wait! I have something to show you." She hurried to her desk and turned on her computer. "Look at this." There on the computer screen was a photo of Rick and Kate at a book launch party.

"A photo of us?" Kate said, mystified.

"Look closely."

"It's not from the book launch party for my book." Kate said innocently. Rick ignored the comment.

Rick suddenly got it. "In the background. The launch is for Richard Castle's new book, _Summer Heat_. I've never written anything called _Summer Heat_. "

Simone giggled and scrolled down a bit. They read. "Author Richard Castle and his fiancé, Captain Katherine Beckett, NYPD at the launch of his latest best seller."

"Where did you get this?" Kate asked.

Simone shrugged. "It came two days ago. I tried to trace it, but I couldn't trace it back any further than to an internet café in Brussels. And this was with it." A click of a mouse brought another photo up.

"I don't have a dress like that." Kate said. There was another mouse click and another photo, this time showing the couple from the side. "Oh, my GOD!" Kate yelled. "She's pregnant!"

They read the caption. "Author Katherine Beckett-Rodgers and her husband NYPD Detective Richard Rodgers at the Reading is FUNdamental fund raiser. The happy couple is expecting their first child in another two months."

"So we all lived happily ever after?" Rick said.

"Pretty much so." Simone said. "And who knows, I may yet find my own Rick."

But that, is another story.

**Author's note: In case you missed it, Simone Renoir was the name of Stana Katic's character in The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice. She also lived in the Big Easy. Of course, Simone was a vampire, which Kathleen is not. I think. **

**Another author's note: I enjoyed this one so much, I'm thinking of a sequel. And so it goes. **__


End file.
